Distinct chemical adsorption behaviors of sulfanilamide as a model antibiotic onto weathered microplastics in complex systems

Microplastic-contaminated antibiotics as an emerging threat to mammalian liver: enhanced oxidative and inflammatory damages

“…A great dilemma is further met due to the complexity of contamination: the generation and spreading of microplastics are often accompanied by the surface accumulation of antibiotics through efficient adsorption. 14 More significantly, biomolecules may enhance the sorption of antibiotics onto microplastics, raising questions about the implications of combined exposure for human health risks. We employed a mouse as the model for human physiology to study the effects of the concurrent treatment of microplastics and SMZ as a model antibiotic.…”

“…Such changes could limit the catalytic function of the oxidases, suggesting the potential mechanism of inhibition for the activity of the oxidases. 47 As carriers for SMZ, microplastics are thought to effectively elevate the local concentration of SMZ in vivo , 14 and enhance the SMZ-induced cellular damage.…”

“…Further, the microplastic surface is not inert, unfortunately, which has been largely ignored to date. In the bigger view of the microplastic pollution, microplastics can further harbor invasive chemical contaminants by hydrophobic interaction to form "protein crowns", 14,15 which necessitates a risk assessment of their concurrent exposure. A reasonable partner for microplastics is antibiotics.…”

“…Our previous research results indeed revealed there was a strong adsorption of sulfanilamide onto microplastics in biomolecular systems compared with that in pure water. 28 This raises concerns with respect to their greater in vivo toxicity than that produced by antibiotics alone. 14 Despite the enormous efforts to address the health risks of antibiotics or microplastics intake, the complexity of contamination is largely ignored, and thereby inconsistencies have often emerged among investigations in terms of their conclusive toxicity.…”

“…28 This raises concerns with respect to their greater in vivo toxicity than that produced by antibiotics alone. 14 Despite the enormous efforts to address the health risks of antibiotics or microplastics intake, the complexity of contamination is largely ignored, and thereby inconsistencies have often emerged among investigations in terms of their conclusive toxicity. 29 As a consequence, an open yet urgent question for the scientific community remains as to whether the combined Fig.…”