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Ducoli S, Federici S, Cocca M, Gentile G, Zendrini A, Bergese P, Depero LE. Characterization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA) true-to-life nanoplastics and their biological interactions. Environ Pollut 2024; 343:123150. [PMID: 38103711 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123150] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Plastic and microplastics, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS), are major contributors to environmental pollution. However, there is a growing recognition of the need to investigate a wider range of plastic polymers to fully understand the extent and impacts of plastic pollution. This study focuses on the comprehensive characterization of true-to-life nanoplastics (T2LNPs) derived from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA) to enhance our understanding of environmental nanoplastics pollution. T2LNPs were produced through cryogenic mechanical fragmentation of everyday items made from these polymers. A solid methodological framework incorporating various characterization techniques was established. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to study the chemical composition and confirm the absence of chemical modifications possibly occurring during fragmentation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to analyze the morphology of the T2LNPs. Additionally, AFM image analysis compared to dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements provided insights into the size distribution and the stability of the T2LNP suspensions. The results revealed the heterogeneity of T2LNPs derived from PET and PA, emphasizing the importance of studying different plastic compositions to comprehensively understand nanoplastics pollution. Lastly, the distinctive characteristics and morphology of T2LNPs were translated into the realm of biological interactions, offering initial insights into the influence of these disparities on the formation of the protein corona on the surface of T2LNPs. By proposing T2LNPs as test materials and establishing a comprehensive characterization approach, this study aims to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the behavior and toxicity of nanoplastics. Furthermore, it highlights the need for a reliable and transferable analytical package for nanoplastic characterization to facilitate future studies on the environmental impact of nanoplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Ducoli
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Florence, Italy
| | - Stefania Federici
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Florence, Italy.
| | - Mariacristina Cocca
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials - National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Gennaro Gentile
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials - National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Andrea Zendrini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Consorzio Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Paolo Bergese
- National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Florence, Italy; Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Consorzio Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Laura E Depero
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Florence, Italy
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Beger RD, Dunn WB, Bandukwala A, Bethan B, Broadhurst D, Clish CB, Dasari S, Derr L, Evans A, Fischer S, Flynn T, Hartung T, Herrington D, Higashi R, Hsu PC, Jones C, Kachman M, Karuso H, Kruppa G, Lippa K, Maruvada P, Mosley J, Ntai I, O'Donovan C, Playdon M, Raftery D, Shaughnessy D, Souza A, Spaeder T, Spalholz B, Tayyari F, Ubhi B, Verma M, Walk T, Wilson I, Witkin K, Bearden DW, Zanetti KA. Towards quality assurance and quality control in untargeted metabolomics studies. Metabolomics 2019; 15:4. [PMID: 30830465 PMCID: PMC6443086 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-018-1460-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We describe here the agreed upon first development steps and priority objectives of a community engagement effort to address current challenges in quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) in untargeted metabolomic studies. This has included (1) a QA and QC questionnaire responded to by the metabolomics community in 2015 which recommended education of the metabolomics community, development of appropriate standard reference materials and providing incentives for laboratories to apply QA and QC; (2) a 2-day 'Think Tank on Quality Assurance and Quality Control for Untargeted Metabolomic Studies' held at the National Cancer Institute's Shady Grove Campus and (3) establishment of the Metabolomics Quality Assurance and Quality Control Consortium (mQACC) to drive forward developments in a coordinated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Beger
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, USA.
| | - Warwick B Dunn
- School of Biosciences, Phenome Centre Birmingham and Institute for Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | | | | | | | - Clary B Clish
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Leslie Derr
- Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Thomas Flynn
- Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Hartung
- Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Ping-Ching Hsu
- University of Arkansas Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Christina Jones
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | - Katrice Lippa
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Padma Maruvada
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan Mosley
- National Exposure Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Claire O'Donovan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory -European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Daniel W Bearden
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Charleston, SC, USA
- Ichthus Unlimited, LLC, 109, S. 32nd Street, West Des Moines, IA, USA
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