1
|
Zhu L, Kang Y, Ma M, Wu Z, Zhang L, Hu R, Xu Q, Zhu J, Gu X, An L. Tissue accumulation of microplastics and potential health risks in human. Sci Total Environ 2024; 915:170004. [PMID: 38220018 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics have become ubiquitous throughout the environment. Humans constantly ingest and inhale microplastics, increasing concerns about the health risks of microplastic exposure. However, limited data impedes a full understanding of the internal exposure to microplastics. Herein, to evaluate microplastic exposure via the respiratory and digestive systems, we used laser direct infrared spectroscopy to identify microplastics >20 μm in size in different human tissues. Consequently, 20-100 μm microplastics were concentrated in all tissues, with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) being the dominant polymer. The highest abundance of microplastics was detected in lung tissue with an average of 14.19 ± 14.57 particles/g, followed by that in the small intestine, large intestine, and tonsil (9.45 ± 13.13, 7.91 ± 7.00, and 6.03 ± 7.37 particles/g, respectively). The abundance of microplastics was also significantly greater in females than in males (p < 0.05). Despite significant diversity, our estimation showed that the lungs accumulated the highest amounts of microplastic. Moreover, PVC particles may cause potential health risks because of their high polymer hazard index and maximal risk level. This study provides evidence regarding the occurrence of microplastics in humans and empirical data to support assessments of the health risks posed by microplastics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Long Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yulin Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Mindong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Zhixin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Department of Pneumology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214023, China
| | - Rongxuan Hu
- Department of Pneumology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214023, China
| | - Qiujin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jingying Zhu
- Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi 214023, China
| | - Xiaohong Gu
- Department of Pneumology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214023, China.
| | - Lihui An
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sun Y, Zhang Y, Ma Y, Xin R, Li X, Niu Z. Exploring the potential of a new marine bacterium associated with plastisphere to metabolize dibutyl phthalate and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate by enrichment cultures combined with multi-omics analysis. Environ Pollut 2024; 342:123146. [PMID: 38101529 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) plasticizers are virulent endocrine disruptors that are mixed into plastics while fabricating and can filter out once they release into the surrounding environments. Plastic surfaces serve as new habitats for microorganisms, referred to as 'plastisphere'. Previous metagenomic investigations of the 'plastisphere' indicated that marine plastic surfaces may harbor microbes that degrade PAEs plasticizers. To our knowledge, the potential of microorganisms in the marine 'plastisphere' to metabolize PAEs is poorly understood. In this study, by screening the natural microbial community on plastic debris that had been deployed in situ for up to 20 months, a novel marine bacterium, Microbacterium esteraromaticum DEHP-1, was successfully isolated, which could degrade and mineralize 10-200 mg/L dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). According to the results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and whole genome mining of strain DEHP-1, we found that strain DEHP-1 may metabolize DBP by successive removal of the ester side chain by esterase 2518 to produce mono-butyl phthalate (MBP) and phthalic acid (PA), whereas the degradation of DEHP may take place by the direct action of monooxygenase 0132 on the fatty acid side chain of the DEHP molecule to produce di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHP) and DBP, and then the subsequent hydrolysis of DBP by de-esterification to PA and finally into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Non-targeted metabolomics results showed that intracellular degradation of PAEs did not happen. However, exposure to PAEs was found to significantly affect pathways such as arginine and proline, riboflavin, glutathione and lysine degradation. Therefore, the intracellular metabolic behavior of strain DEHP-1 exposed to PAEs was proposed for the first time. This study sheds light on the metabolic capacity and strategies of bacteria in the marine 'plastisphere' to effectively degrade PAEs and highlights the importance of marine microbes in mitigating plastic poisonousness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yueling Sun
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Yongzheng Ma
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Rui Xin
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xiaofeng Li
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Zhiguang Niu
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China; International Joint Institute of Tianjin University, Fuzhou, Fuzhou, 350205, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xu Z, Shen J, Lin L, Chen J, Wang L, Deng X, Wu X, Lin Z, Zhang Y, Yu R, Xu Z, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Wang C. Exposure to irregular microplastic shed from baby bottles activates the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway, causing intestinal inflammation. Environ Int 2023; 181:108296. [PMID: 37924603 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Irregularly shaped microplastics (MPs) released from infant feeding bottles (PP-IFBs) may exhibit increased cytotoxicity, in contrast to the commonly studied spherical MPs. This study presents an initial analysis of the thermal-oxidative aging process of plastic shedding from feeding bottles, and investigates the inflammatory response induced by these atypical MPs in human intestinal cells (Caco-2). The PP-IFBs' surface displayed non-uniform white patches and increased roughness, revealing substantial structural alteration and shedding, especially during actions such as shaking, boiling water disinfection, and microwave heating. FT-IR and 2D-COS analyses revealed that oxygen targeted the C-H and C-C bonds of polypropylene molecular chain, producing RO· and ·OH, thereby hastening polypropylene degradation. When human intestinal cells were exposed to MPs from PP-IFBs, oxidative stress was triggered, resulting in lowered glutathione levels, augmented reactive oxygen species (ROS), and heightened lipid peroxidation. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNFα) signified an active inflammatory process. The inflammatory response was notably more intense when exposed to MPs released through boiling water disinfection and microwave heating treatments, primarily due to the larger quantity of MPs released and their higher proportion of smaller particles. Furthermore, the NLRP3 inflammasome was identified as critical in initiating this inflammatory chain reaction due to the mitochondrial ROS surge caused by MPs exposure. This was further validated by inhibitor studies, emphasizing the role of the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway in in promoting intestinal inflammation. Therefore, swift actions are recommended to protect infants against the potential health effects of MPs exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Xu
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Jiemiao Shen
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Lihong Lin
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Jieting Chen
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xingying Deng
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Xinyue Wu
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Zheng Lin
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Yuxue Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Renqiang Yu
- Department of Neonatology, Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Women's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhihao Xu
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinggangshan University, Jian 343009, China
| | - Jiexiang Zhang
- GRG Metrology& Test Group Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510656, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210000, China.
| | - Chao Wang
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yoo JW, Choi TJ, Park JS, Kim J, Han S, Kim CB, Lee YM. Pathway-dependent toxic interaction between polystyrene microbeads and methylmercury on the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis: Based on mercury bioaccumulation, cytotoxicity, and transcriptomic analysis. J Hazard Mater 2023; 459:132055. [PMID: 37480609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Given their worldwide distribution and toxicity to aquatic organisms, methylmercury (MeHg) and microplastics (MP) are major pollutants in marine ecosystems. Although they commonly co-exist in the ocean, information on their toxicological interactions is limited. Therefore, to understand the toxicological interactions between MeHg and MP (6-μm polystyrene), we investigated the bioaccumulation of MeHg, its cytotoxicity, and transcriptomic modulation in the brackish water flea Diaphanosoma celebensis following single and combined exposure to MeHg and MP. After single exposure to MeHg for 48-h, D. celebensis showed high Hg accumulation (34.83 ± 0.40 μg/g dw biota) and cytotoxicity, which was reduced upon co-exposure to MP. After transcriptomic analysis, 2, 253, and 159 differentially expressed genes were detected in the groups exposed to MP, MeHg, and MeHg+MP, respectively. Genes related to metabolic pathways and the immune system were significantly affected after MeHg exposure, but the effect of MeHg on these pathways was alleviated by MP co-exposure. However, MeHg and MP exhibited synergistic effects on the expression of gene related to DNA replication. These findings suggest that MP can reduce the toxicity of MeHg but that their toxicological interactions differ depending on the molecular pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Je-Won Yoo
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-June Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seok Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihee Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Bae Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Convergence Engineering, Sangmyung University, Seoul 03016, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhu X, Cheang I, Chen Z, Shi M, Zhu Q, Yue X, Tang Y, Pang H, Liao S, Zhou Y, Li X. Associations of urinary di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites with lipid profiles among US general adult population. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20343. [PMID: 37800061 PMCID: PMC10550567 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) a parent compound that is metabolized into 4 phthalate metabolites, which correlate to adverse cardio-metabolic risk factors. This study aimed to explore the links between urinary DEHP metabolites and serum lipids in the U.S. general adult population. Methods In this cross-sectional study, data on 11 urinary phthalate metabolites from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) were analyzed. Multivariate linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to examine the relationship between phthalate metabolites [specific DEHPs: mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxy-pentyl) phthalate (MECPP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxy-hexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxo-hexyl) phthalate (MEOHP)] and serum lipids (triglycerides [TG], total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]). To identify mixed exposure effects of phthalate metabolites, quantile g-computation (QG-C) and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were employed for the lipid profiles. Results A total of 9141 adults were included in the analysis. MECPP, MEHHP, MEHP, and MEOHP in the highest quartile had a negative relationship with HDL-C compared to the lowest quartile (All P for trend <0.05). TG showed a significant positive relation with MECPP, MEHHP, and MEOHP (All P for trend <0.05), but there was no notable association with MEHP. RCS demonstrated a linear relationship of DEHP metabolites with HDL-C, TC, TG, and LDL-C (all P for nonlinearity >0.05). The WQS index of DEHP metabolites showed independent correlations with HDL-C [β = -0.26, 95%CI (-0.43, -0.09), P = 0.002], TC [β = 0.55, 95%CI (0.13, 0.98), P = 0.011], and TG [β = 2.40, 95%CI (0.85, 3.96), P = 0.003]. Conclusion Our study suggests that environmental DEHP exposure may affect serum HDL-C and TG levels in the general adult population. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and illuminate the underlying mechanisms of DEHP exposure on lipids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xu Zhu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Iokfai Cheang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Ziqi Chen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Mengsha Shi
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Qingqing Zhu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xin Yue
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Yuan Tang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Hui Pang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Shengen Liao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Yanli Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xinli Li
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210029, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang J, Jie W, Cheng G, Gu Z, Liu X. Transcriptome analysis of response mechanism to Microcystin-LR and microplastics stress in Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). Fish Shellfish Immunol 2023:108875. [PMID: 37285876 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.108875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we analyzed the hepatopancreas tissues of Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) exposed to three different adverse environmental conditions from the same batch using RNA-seq. The four treatment groups included the Asian Clam group treated with Microcystin-LR (MC), the Microplastics-treated group (MP), the Microcystin-LR and Microplastics-treated group (MP-MC), and the Control group. Our Gene Ontology analysis revealed 19,173 enriched genes, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis identified 345 related pathways. The KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that the MC vs control group and the MP vs control group were significantly enriched in immune and catabolic pathways such as Antigen processing and presentation, Rheumatoid arthritis, Lysosome pathway, Phagosome pathway, and Autophagy pathway. We also evaluated the effects of Microplastics and Microcystin-LR on the activities of eight antioxidant enzymes and immune enzymes in Asian clams. Our study enriched the genetic resources of Asian clams and provided valuable information for understanding the response mechanism of Asian clams to microplastics and microcystin in the environment, through the identification of differentially expressed genes and related pathway analyses from the large number of transcriptome sequences obtained.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Zhang
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Wang Jie
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Guofeng Cheng
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaojun Gu
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingguo Liu
- Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai, 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Aguaculture Facilities Engineering, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|