Presence of airborne microplastics in human lung tissue

Amato-Lourenço, Luís Fernando; Carvalho-Oliveira, Regiani; Júnior, Gabriel Ribeiro; Galvão, Luciana dos Santos; Ando, Rômulo Augusto; Mauad, Thaís

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126124

Cited by 397 publications

(121 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In human lung tissue, recent research estimated 0.56 MP particles/gram of lung tissue (equaling about 470 particles in an average set of lungs). The authors indicate that this suggests most particles inhaled are retained in airways [19], an observation in line with previous characterizations.…”

Section: Human Effectssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…This study also importantly brought to our attention the relevance of plastic microfibers, as compared to more commonly studied spherical MPs. A more recent study built upon this work, showing that a combination of plastic particles and fibers were present in 13 of 20 human lung tissue samples examined [19].…”

Section: Human Effectsmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Due to the availability of various sized MP spheres, there is more known about how particle size impacts mammalian models and human cells. In human lung tissue samples, MP particles were found to be smaller than 5.5 µm, whereas plastic microfibers were found to range from 8.12 to 16.8 µm [19]. In human colon samples, MPs were surprisingly larger, with an average size of 1.1 mm and a range of 0.8 to 1.6 mm [20].…”

Section: Human Effectsmentioning

confidence: 92%

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Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

Weis

Palmquist

2021

Applied Sciences

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Environmental microplastics are gaining interest due to their ubiquity and the threat they pose to environmental and human health. Critical studies have revealed the abundance of microplastics in nature, while others have tested the impacts of these small plastics on organismal health in the laboratory. Yet, there is often a mismatch between these two areas of research, resulting in major discrepancies and an inability to interpret certain findings. Here, we focus on several main lines of inquiry. First, even though the majority of environmental microplastics are plastic microfibers from textiles, laboratory studies still largely use spherical microbeads. There are also inconsistencies between the measurements of microplastics in the environment as compared to the concentrations that tend to be used in experimental studies. Likewise, the period of exposure occurring in experimental studies and in the environment are vastly different. Lastly, although experimental studies often focus on a particular subset of toxic chemicals present on microplastics, textile microfibers carry other dyes and chemicals that are understudied. They also cause types of physical damage not associated with microspheres. This review will analyze the literature pertaining to these mismatches, focusing on aquatic organisms and model systems, and seek to inform a path forward for this burgeoning area of research.

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Section: Human Effectssupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Human Effectsmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Human Effectsmentioning

confidence: 92%

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Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

Weis

Palmquist

2021

Applied Sciences

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“…It is also found in co-lectomy samples [32], saliva, the surface of skins, and head hair [33]. Recently, microplastics were also detected in human placenta [34,35] and lung tissue [36], providing evidence for microplastic penetration and incorporation in the human tissue.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Microplastic Contamination in Human Stools, Foods, and Drinking Water Associated with Indonesian Coastal Population

et al. 2021

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Approximately 381 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year, and the majority of it ends up as pollutants. In the environment, plastic waste is fragmented into microplastic particles less than 5 mm in size; owing to their small size, durability, and abundance, they can easily be dispersed, incorporated into the food chains, and enter the human body. The extent of microplastic exposure in the human body has become a major concern in many countries, including in Indonesia, the second largest plastic waste contributor in the world. Here, we report the detection of microplastics in human stools collected from a fisherman community in the coastal area of Surabaya, Indonesia. Microplastics were found in more than 50% of samples analyzed with a concentration ranging from 3.33 to 13.99 µg of microplastic per gram of feces (µg/g). HDPE was observed as the most prevalent type of microplastic, with an average concentration of 9.195 µg/g in positive samples. Different types of microplastics were also detected in seafood, staple foods, drinking water, table salts, and toothpaste, which were regularly used and consumed by the study participants. Results from this preliminary study indicate widespread contamination of microplastic in the human body and in consumables associated with the coastal populations of Indonesia.

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“…Then Barrett et al [5] estimated that there could be as much as 14.4 million tonnes of microplastics in the top 9 cm of sediment throughout the global ocean, which was 34-57 times more than that at the ocean surface. Moreover, microplastics have been ubiquitously detected in oceans (from the continental shelf to deep-sea waters [6], from the eastern North Pacific Ocean [3] to the Indian Ocean [7], and from coral reef to whales [8]), freshwater systems [9], air-borne [10], plants, animals, and even humans [11,12]. Unfortunately, the plastic (including microplastics) pollution is posing a serious threat to the global environment and human health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive Review of Polysaccharide-Based Materials in Edible Packaging: A Sustainable Approach

Zhao

et al. 2021

Foods

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Edible packaging is a sustainable product and technology that uses one kind of “food” (an edible material) to package another kind of food (a packaged product), and organically integrates food with packaging through ingenious material design. Polysaccharides are a reliable source of edible packaging materials with excellent renewable, biodegradable, and biocompatible properties, as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Using polysaccharide-based materials effectively reduces the dependence on petroleum resources, decreases the carbon footprint of the “product-packaging” system, and provides a “zero-emission” scheme. To date, they have been commercialized and developed rapidly in the food (e.g., fruits and vegetables, meat, nuts, confectioneries, and delicatessens, etc.) packaging industry. However, compared with petroleum-based polymers and plastics, polysaccharides still have limitations in film-forming, mechanical, barrier, and protective properties. Therefore, they need to be improved by reasonable material modifications (chemical or physical modification). This article comprehensively reviews recent research advances, hot issues, and trends of polysaccharide-based materials in edible packaging. Emphasis is given to fundamental compositions and properties, functional modifications, food-packaging applications, and safety risk assessment of polysaccharides (including cellulose, hemicellulose, starch, chitosan, and polysaccharide gums). Therefore, to provide a reference for the development of modern edible packaging.

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Presence of airborne microplastics in human lung tissue

Cited by 397 publications

References 33 publications

Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

Microplastic Contamination in Human Stools, Foods, and Drinking Water Associated with Indonesian Coastal Population

Comprehensive Review of Polysaccharide-Based Materials in Edible Packaging: A Sustainable Approach

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