Measuring the Size and the Charge of Microplastics in Aqueous Suspensions With and Without Microorganisms Using a Zeta-Sizer Meter

Tziourrou, Pavlos; Bourikas, Kyriakos; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-45909-3_39

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…This suggests electrostatic interactions are important for fluoxetine adsorption. The zeta potential in sea water is similar to polyethylene microplastics in the same matrix (− 1.8 mV) (Tziourrou et al 2020).…”

Section: Desorption Kinetics and Isotherms In Different Matricesmentioning

confidence: 73%

Enhanced desorption of fluoxetine from polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in gastric fluid and sea water

Wagstaff

Petrie

2022

Environ Chem Lett

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There are concerns that microplastics act as a vector of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. Most studies have focussed on pharmaceutical adsorption and have not investigated desorption in the various matrices that microplastics enter. Therefore we studied the desorption of the antidepressant drug fluoxetine from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics in river water, sea water, and simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. We found that most desorption occurred rapidly, within a few hours of exposure. Fluoxetine desorption fitted well to the Freundlich isotherm with r2 values ranging from 0.97 to 0.99. Desorption decreased in the following order: gastric fluid at 20 °C and 37 °C; sea water at 20 °C; intestinal fluid at 20 °C and 37 °C; then river water at 20 °C. The little difference in desorption in gastrointestinal fluids at 20 °C and 37 °C suggests a similar exposure risk to cold- and warm-blooded organisms following PET microplastic ingestion. Total desorption following sequential incubation 2 h in gastric fluid then 4 h in intestinal fluid to mimic gastrointestinal digestion was 37% at 20 °C and 41% at 37 °C. Interestingly, higher desorption of 18–23% occurred in sea water compared to river water, of 4–11%. Under a worst-case scenario, more than 44 mg kg−1 body weight d−1 or more than 52 mg kg−1 body weight d−1 of PET microplastics from river water or sea water, respectively, need to be consumed to exceed the mammalian acceptable daily intake for fluoxetine. Further studies are needed on microplastic ingestion and the bioavailability of adsorbed pharmaceuticals to a range of exposed aquatic organisms.

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Section: Desorption Kinetics and Isotherms In Different Matricesmentioning

confidence: 73%

Enhanced desorption of fluoxetine from polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in gastric fluid and sea water

Wagstaff

Petrie

2022

Environ Chem Lett

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“…When MPs penetrate the inner layer of the colonic mucus, they may serve as rafts for the growth of biofilms, which are intricate bacterial communities known to be significant regulators of gut health ( 170 , 224 ). The hypothesis that bacterial adhesion to MPs in situ may offer a platform for early biofilm formation is supported by evidence of bacteria-rich biofilms on the surface of MPs recovered from seawater ( 225 ). Two recent investigations have examined MPs' potential for carcinogenicity, and both have concluded that there is probably a connection ( 172 , 226 ).…”

Section: Microplastics In Different Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics and environmental effects: investigating the effects of microplastics on aquatic habitats and their impact on human health

Yarahmadi,

Heidari,

Sepahvand

et al. 2024

Front. Public Health

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Microplastics (MPs) are particles with a diameter of <5 mm. The disposal of plastic waste into the environment poses a significant and pressing issue concern globally. Growing worry has been expressed in recent years over the impact of MPs on both human health and the entire natural ecosystem. MPs impact the feeding and digestive capabilities of marine organisms, as well as hinder the development of plant roots and leaves. Numerous studies have shown that the majority of individuals consume substantial quantities of MPs either through their dietary intake or by inhaling them. MPs have been identified in various human biological samples, such as lungs, stool, placenta, sputum, breast milk, liver, and blood. MPs can cause various illnesses in humans, depending on how they enter the body. Healthy and sustainable ecosystems depend on the proper functioning of microbiota, however, MPs disrupt the balance of microbiota. Also, due to their high surface area compared to their volume and chemical characteristics, MPs act as pollutant absorbers in different environments. Multiple policies and initiatives exist at both the domestic and global levels to mitigate pollution caused by MPs. Various techniques are currently employed to remove MPs, such as biodegradation, filtration systems, incineration, landfill disposal, and recycling, among others. In this review, we will discuss the sources and types of MPs, the presence of MPs in different environments and food, the impact of MPs on human health and microbiota, mechanisms of pollutant adsorption on MPs, and the methods of removing MPs with algae and microbes.

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“…Evidence of bacteria-rich biofilms on the surface of MPs recovered from seawater [ 47 , 48 ] supports the idea that bacterial adherence to the surface of MPs in situ may provide a platform for nascent biofilm development. A similar scenario may also occur in the colon, facilitated by the attachment of protein and amino acids to the surface of negatively charged MPs [ 49 ]. Even small numbers of bacteria attached to MPs have the ability to start producing the polymeric matrix that forms the basis of a biofilm, affording the resident microbiota with a degree of protection from the external environment in the GI tract [ 50 , 51 ].…”

Section: The Human Physiology Of Mpmentioning

confidence: 99%

Could Microplastics Be a Driver for Early Onset Colorectal Cancer?

Keenan

Shaw

et al. 2023

Cancers

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Introduction: The incidence of colorectal cancer in those under 50 years of age (early onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC)) is increasing throughout the world. This has predominantly been an increase in distal colonic and rectal cancers, which are biologically similar to late onset colorectal cancer (LOCRC) but with higher rates of mucinous or signet ring histology, or poorly differentiated cancers. The epidemiology of this change suggests that it is a cohort effect since 1960, and is most likely driven by an environmental cause. We explore the possible role of microplastics as a driver for this change. Review: The development of sporadic colorectal cancer is likely facilitated by the interaction of gut bacteria and the intestinal wall. Normally, a complex layer of luminal mucus provides colonocytes with a level of protection from the effects of these bacteria and their toxins. Plastics were first developed in the early 1900s. After 1945 they became more widely used, with a resultant dramatic increase in plastic pollution and their breakdown to microplastics. Microplastics (MPs) are consumed by humans from an early age and in increasingly large quantities. As MPs pass through the gastrointestinal tract they interact with the normal physiological mechanism of the body, particularly in the colon and rectum, where they may interact with the protective colonic mucus layer. We describe several possible mechanisms of how microplastics may disrupt this mucus layer, thus reducing its protective effect and increasing the likelihood of colorectal cancer. Conclusions: The epidemiology of increase in EOCRC suggests an environmental driver. This increase in EOCRC matches the time sequence in which we could expect to see an effect of rapid increase of MPs in the environment and, as such, we have explored possible mechanisms for this effect. We suggest that it is possible that the MPs damage the barrier integrity of the colonic mucus layer, thus reducing its protective effect. MPs in CRC pathogenesis warrants further investigation. Future directions: Further clarification needs to be sought regarding the interaction between MPs, gut microbiota and the mucus layer. This will need to be modelled in long-term animal studies to better understand how chronic consumption of environmentally-acquired MPs may contribute to an increased risk of colorectal carcinogenesis.

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Measuring the Size and the Charge of Microplastics in Aqueous Suspensions With and Without Microorganisms Using a Zeta-Sizer Meter

Cited by 5 publications

References 16 publications

Enhanced desorption of fluoxetine from polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in gastric fluid and sea water

Enhanced desorption of fluoxetine from polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in gastric fluid and sea water

Microplastics and environmental effects: investigating the effects of microplastics on aquatic habitats and their impact on human health

Could Microplastics Be a Driver for Early Onset Colorectal Cancer?

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