Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood
Plastic particles are ubiquitous pollutants in the living environment and food chain but no study to date has reported on the internal exposure of plastic particles in human blood. This study’s goal was to develop a robust and sensitive sampling and analytical method with double shot pyrolysis - gas...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Environment International |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258 |
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| author | Heather A. Leslie Martin J.M. van Velzen Sicco H. Brandsma A. Dick Vethaak Juan J. Garcia-Vallejo Marja H. Lamoree |
| author_facet | Heather A. Leslie Martin J.M. van Velzen Sicco H. Brandsma A. Dick Vethaak Juan J. Garcia-Vallejo Marja H. Lamoree |
| author_sort | Heather A. Leslie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plastic particles are ubiquitous pollutants in the living environment and food chain but no study to date has reported on the internal exposure of plastic particles in human blood. This study’s goal was to develop a robust and sensitive sampling and analytical method with double shot pyrolysis - gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and apply it to measure plastic particles ≥700 nm in human whole blood from 22 healthy volunteers. Four high production volume polymers applied in plastic were identified and quantified for the first time in blood. Polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene and polymers of styrene (a sum parameter of polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, acetonitrile butadiene styrene etc.) were the most widely encountered, followed by poly(methyl methacrylate). Polypropylene was analysed but values were under the limits of quantification. In this study of a small set of donors, the mean of the sum quantifiable concentration of plastic particles in blood was 1.6 µg/ml, showing a first measurement of the mass concentration of the polymeric component of plastic in human blood. This pioneering human biomonitoring study demonstrated that plastic particles are bioavailable for uptake into the human bloodstream. An understanding of the exposure of these substances in humans and the associated hazard of such exposure is needed to determine whether or not plastic particle exposure is a public health risk. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:33:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1e493ea679e413facbbc33bbe99ba8a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:33:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1e493ea679e413facbbc33bbe99ba8a2022-12-22T01:46:55ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202022-05-01163107199Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human bloodHeather A. Leslie0Martin J.M. van Velzen1Sicco H. Brandsma2A. Dick Vethaak3Juan J. Garcia-Vallejo4Marja H. Lamoree5Dept. of Environment and Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the NetherlandsDept. of Environment and Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the NetherlandsDept. of Environment and Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the NetherlandsDept. of Environment and Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Deltares, Delft, the NetherlandsCancer Center Amsterdam and Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam University Medical Center (VUmc location), De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the NetherlandsDept. of Environment and Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.Plastic particles are ubiquitous pollutants in the living environment and food chain but no study to date has reported on the internal exposure of plastic particles in human blood. This study’s goal was to develop a robust and sensitive sampling and analytical method with double shot pyrolysis - gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and apply it to measure plastic particles ≥700 nm in human whole blood from 22 healthy volunteers. Four high production volume polymers applied in plastic were identified and quantified for the first time in blood. Polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene and polymers of styrene (a sum parameter of polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, acetonitrile butadiene styrene etc.) were the most widely encountered, followed by poly(methyl methacrylate). Polypropylene was analysed but values were under the limits of quantification. In this study of a small set of donors, the mean of the sum quantifiable concentration of plastic particles in blood was 1.6 µg/ml, showing a first measurement of the mass concentration of the polymeric component of plastic in human blood. This pioneering human biomonitoring study demonstrated that plastic particles are bioavailable for uptake into the human bloodstream. An understanding of the exposure of these substances in humans and the associated hazard of such exposure is needed to determine whether or not plastic particle exposure is a public health risk.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258NanoplasticMicroplasticHuman whole bloodPolymersPyrolysis-GC/MS |
| spellingShingle | Heather A. Leslie Martin J.M. van Velzen Sicco H. Brandsma A. Dick Vethaak Juan J. Garcia-Vallejo Marja H. Lamoree Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood Environment International Nanoplastic Microplastic Human whole blood Polymers Pyrolysis-GC/MS |
| title | Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood |
| title_full | Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood |
| title_fullStr | Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood |
| title_short | Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood |
| title_sort | discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood |
| topic | Nanoplastic Microplastic Human whole blood Polymers Pyrolysis-GC/MS |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258 |
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