Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants
Microplastics (MPs) are found in all environments, within the human food chain, and have been recently detected in several human tissues. The objective herein was to undertake an analysis of MP contamination in human urine samples, from healthy individuals and participants with endometriosis, with r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324002847 |
| _version_ | 1827307907141599232 |
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| author | Jeanette M. Rotchell Chloe Austin Emma Chapman Charlotte A. Atherall Catriona R. Liddle Timothy S. Dunstan Ben Blackburn Andrew Mead Kate Filart Ellie Beeby Keith Cunningham Jane Allen Hannah Draper Barbara-ann Guinn |
| author_facet | Jeanette M. Rotchell Chloe Austin Emma Chapman Charlotte A. Atherall Catriona R. Liddle Timothy S. Dunstan Ben Blackburn Andrew Mead Kate Filart Ellie Beeby Keith Cunningham Jane Allen Hannah Draper Barbara-ann Guinn |
| author_sort | Jeanette M. Rotchell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microplastics (MPs) are found in all environments, within the human food chain, and have been recently detected in several human tissues. The objective herein was to undertake an analysis of MP contamination in human urine samples, from healthy individuals and participants with endometriosis, with respect to their presence, levels, and the characteristics of any particles identified. A total of 38 human urine samples and 15 procedural blanks were analysed. MPs were characterised using μFTIR spectroscopy (size limitation of 5 μm) and SEM-EDX. In total, 123 MP particles consisting of 22 MP polymer types were identified within 17/29 of the healthy donor (10 mL) urine samples, compared with 232 MP particles of differing 16 MP polymer types in 12/19 urine samples from participants with endometriosis. Healthy donors presented an unadjusted average of 2589 ± 2931 MP/L and participants with endometriosis presented 4724 ± 9710 MP/L. Polyethylene (PE)(27%), polystyrene (PS)(16%), resin and polypropylene (PP)(both 12%) polymer types were most abundant in healthy donor samples, compared with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (59%), and PE (16%) in samples from endometriosis participants. The MP levels within healthy and endometriosis participant samples were not significantly different. However, the predominant polymer types varied, and the MPs from the metal catheter-derived endometriosis participant samples and healthy donors were significantly smaller than those observed in the procedural blanks. The procedural blank samples comprised 62 MP particles of 10 MP polymer types, mainly PP (27%), PE (21%), and PS (15%) with a mean ± SD of 17 ± 18, highlighting the unavoidable contamination inherent in measurement of MPs from donors. This is the first evidence of MP contamination in human urine with polymer characterisation and accounting for procedural blanks. These results support the phenomenon of transport of MPs within humans, specifically to the bladder, and their characterisation of types, shapes and size ranges identified therein. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:48:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32254a11143e47fe9be2670ef9e408ac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:48:17Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj.art-32254a11143e47fe9be2670ef9e408ac2024-03-27T04:51:20ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132024-04-01274116208Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participantsJeanette M. Rotchell0Chloe Austin1Emma Chapman2Charlotte A. Atherall3Catriona R. Liddle4Timothy S. Dunstan5Ben Blackburn6Andrew Mead7Kate Filart8Ellie Beeby9Keith Cunningham10Jane Allen11Hannah Draper12Barbara-ann Guinn13School of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom; College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, United Kingdom; Corresponding author at: School of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom.School of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomCentre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomCentre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomSchool of Life Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Luton LU1 3JU, United Kingdom; Department for Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United KingdomCentre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomCentre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United KingdomHull and East Yorkshire Endometriosis Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham HU16 5JQ, United KingdomDepartment for Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, United KingdomCentre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom; Hull and East Yorkshire Endometriosis Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham HU16 5JQ, United KingdomCentre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.Microplastics (MPs) are found in all environments, within the human food chain, and have been recently detected in several human tissues. The objective herein was to undertake an analysis of MP contamination in human urine samples, from healthy individuals and participants with endometriosis, with respect to their presence, levels, and the characteristics of any particles identified. A total of 38 human urine samples and 15 procedural blanks were analysed. MPs were characterised using μFTIR spectroscopy (size limitation of 5 μm) and SEM-EDX. In total, 123 MP particles consisting of 22 MP polymer types were identified within 17/29 of the healthy donor (10 mL) urine samples, compared with 232 MP particles of differing 16 MP polymer types in 12/19 urine samples from participants with endometriosis. Healthy donors presented an unadjusted average of 2589 ± 2931 MP/L and participants with endometriosis presented 4724 ± 9710 MP/L. Polyethylene (PE)(27%), polystyrene (PS)(16%), resin and polypropylene (PP)(both 12%) polymer types were most abundant in healthy donor samples, compared with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (59%), and PE (16%) in samples from endometriosis participants. The MP levels within healthy and endometriosis participant samples were not significantly different. However, the predominant polymer types varied, and the MPs from the metal catheter-derived endometriosis participant samples and healthy donors were significantly smaller than those observed in the procedural blanks. The procedural blank samples comprised 62 MP particles of 10 MP polymer types, mainly PP (27%), PE (21%), and PS (15%) with a mean ± SD of 17 ± 18, highlighting the unavoidable contamination inherent in measurement of MPs from donors. This is the first evidence of MP contamination in human urine with polymer characterisation and accounting for procedural blanks. These results support the phenomenon of transport of MPs within humans, specifically to the bladder, and their characterisation of types, shapes and size ranges identified therein.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324002847MicroplasticUrineContaminationEndometriosisµFTIRBisphenol A |
| spellingShingle | Jeanette M. Rotchell Chloe Austin Emma Chapman Charlotte A. Atherall Catriona R. Liddle Timothy S. Dunstan Ben Blackburn Andrew Mead Kate Filart Ellie Beeby Keith Cunningham Jane Allen Hannah Draper Barbara-ann Guinn Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Microplastic Urine Contamination Endometriosis µFTIR Bisphenol A |
| title | Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants |
| title_full | Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants |
| title_fullStr | Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants |
| title_short | Microplastics in human urine: Characterisation using μFTIR and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants |
| title_sort | microplastics in human urine characterisation using μftir and sampling challenges using healthy donors and endometriosis participants |
| topic | Microplastic Urine Contamination Endometriosis µFTIR Bisphenol A |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324002847 |
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