Atmospheric microplastics, their accumulation in vivo and potential toxicity.

大气微塑料、它们在体内的积累和潜在毒性。

• 批准号: MR/R026521/2
• 负责人: Stephanie Wright
• 金额: $ 33.1万
• 依托单位: Imperial College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR%2FR026521%2F2
• 关键词: Atmospheric; microplastics; their; accumulation; vivo

Over 8 billion tonnes of plastic have been made since mass production began in the 1950s. Eighty per cent of this has gone to landfill or the natural environment. Consequently, plastic litter is widespread and it persists. Upon exposure to sunlight, plastic slowly degrades into microscopic particles and fibres known as microplastics. Microplastics are also purposefully manufactured, such as microbeads used in personal care products. Microplastics have been found in food and the air we breathe, prompting speculation about risks to public health. If small enough to be inhaled, airborne microplastics could enter the airway. From here they may be cleared with mucus to the gut, or they may enter the deep lung where they interact with lung fluid and cells. As plastic cannot be broken down, microplastics have the potential to persist in our bodies by embedding in tissues or entering cells. Following exposure, there are several ways in which microplastics are predicted to cause harm. They may trigger an inflammatory response, as they resemble foreign bodies which immune cells try to eliminate. They may also carry a cocktail of chemicals. These include additives that are incorporated during plastic product manufacture, and chemicals concentrated on their surface from the surrounding environment. Such chemicals are known to cause genetic mutations, cancer and reproductive effects. Additionally, microplastics carry a novel community of microbes, including harmful types. Given the risk of human exposure, there is an urgent need to assess the potential health impacts of microplastics. However, a solid evidence base for population exposure - including microplastic concentrations, types and sizes - is lacking. This fellowship aims to address this by assessing whether microplastics down to an inhalable size are airborne; if humans are exposed to microplastics via the air; and whether exposure could lead to health effects. The research will be conducted at the Medical Research Council (MRC)-Public Health England Centre for Environment and Health (King's College London) in partnership with the MRC Toxicology Unit (Leicester). Instruments which measure air quality will be used to collect airborne particles. Samples will be assessed with a microscope coupled to an instrument capable of detecting unique chemical signatures, known as Raman spectroscopy, to detect microplastics. Microplastics will be counted, sized, and the type of plastic identified. To assess whether humans are exposed to microplastics, human lung tissue samples routinely-collected during medical procedures will be screened. Samples will be viewed under a microscope coupled to a Raman spectrometer and suspicious particles characterized as above. To understand the potential for microplastics to cause harm, varying characteristics of microplastics - such as plastic type, size, shape and surface chemistry - will be screened in a an animal model. The outcomes of the proposed project are to 1) have a standard method to carry out monitoring of microplastics in the air in different environments (such as urban, coastal and rural); 2) to determine the suitability of tissue as an indicator of exposure; and 3) have an overall increased understanding of the risk that microplastics present to human health. Classifying microplastics by plastic type will highlight those plastics which require improved regulation via resource and waste management, and material and product design.

自从1950年代开始批量生产以来，已经制造了超过80亿吨的塑料。其中80％用于垃圾填埋场或自然环境。因此，塑料垃圾是广泛的，并且持续存在。暴露于阳光后，塑料会慢慢降解为微观颗粒和称为微塑料的纤维。也有目的地制造微型塑料，例如在个人护理产品中使用的微珠。在食物和我们呼吸的空气中发现了微塑料，引发了人们对公共卫生风险的猜测。如果足够小以吸入，空气中的微塑料可以进入气道。从这里可以用粘液清除它们到肠道，或者可以进入与肺部液体和细胞相互作用的深肺。由于无法分解塑料，因此微塑料有可能通过嵌入组织或进入细胞来持续到我们的体内。暴露后，预测微塑料会造成伤害的几种方法。它们可能会引发炎症反应，因为它们类似于免疫细胞试图消除的异物。他们也可能携带一系列化学物质。这些包括在塑料产品制造过程中掺入的添加剂，化学物质集中在其周围环境中的表面上。已知这种化学物质会引起基因突变，癌症和生殖作用。此外，微塑料具有新颖的微生物社区，包括有害类型。考虑到人类暴露的风险，迫切需要评估微塑料的潜在健康影响。但是，缺乏人口暴露的坚实证据基础 - 包括微塑料浓度，类型和大小。该奖学金旨在通过评估微型塑料是否降至可吸入量来解决这一问题；如果人类通过空气暴露于微塑料中；以及暴露是否会导致健康影响。该研究将在医学研究委员会（MRC） - 公共健康英格兰环境与健康中心（伦敦国王学院）与MRC毒理学部门（Leicester）合作。测量空气质量的仪器将用于收集空气颗粒。样品将通过显微镜进行评估，该显微镜与能够检测独特化学特征（称为拉曼光谱的独特化学特征）的仪器进行评估，以检测显微塑料。将计数，大小以及确定的塑料类型。为了评估人类是否暴露于微塑料中，将筛选在医疗程序期间经常收集的人类肺组织样品。样品将在显微镜下查看，该显微镜与拉曼光谱仪和以上表征的可疑粒子相结合。为了了解微塑料造成伤害的潜力，将在动物模型中筛选微塑料的不同特征（例如塑料类型，大小，形状和表面化学）。拟议项目的结果是1）有一种标准方法，可以在不同环境（例如城市，沿海和农村）中对空气中的微塑料进行监测； 2）确定组织的适用性作为暴露的指标； 3）总体上对微塑料对人类健康的风险有所增加。按塑料类型对微塑料进行分类将突出这些塑料，这些塑料需要通过资源和废物管理以及材料和产品设计来改善调节。

项目成果

Release and intestinal translocation of chemicals associated with microplastics in an in vitro human gastrointestinal digestion model

• DOI: 10.1186/s43591-021-00022-y
• 发表时间: 2022-01
• 期刊: Microplastics and Nanoplastics
• 作者: R. Peters;Nadine de Jong;L. D. de Haan;S. Wright;H. Bouwmeester

Global Plastic Pollution Observation System to Aid Policy

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00818
• 发表时间: 2021-05-24
• 期刊: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
• 影响因子: 11.4
• 作者: Bank, Michael S.;Swarzenski, Peter W.;Ok, Yong Sik
• 通讯作者: Ok, Yong Sik

Examining the release of synthetic microfibres to the environment via two major pathways: Atmospheric deposition and treated wastewater effluent.

检查合成微纤维通过两个主要途径向环境中的释放：大气沉降和处理后的废水排放。

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159317
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: The Science of the total environment
• 作者: Napper IE

Screening and prioritization of nano- and microplastic particle toxicity studies for evaluating human health risks - development and application of a toxicity study assessment tool.

• DOI: 10.1186/s43591-021-00023-x
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Microplastics and nanoplastics
• 作者: Gouin T;Ellis-Hutchings R;Thornton Hampton LM;Lemieux CL;Wright SL
• 通讯作者: Wright SL

Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Microplastic Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea

第二届地中海微塑料污染国际会议论文集

• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-45909-3_17
• 发表时间: 2020
• 作者: Kelly F