-
Environment International Jan 2024Due to their exceptional properties and cost effectiveness, polyamides or nylons have emerged as widely used materials, revolutionizing diverse industries, including...
Due to their exceptional properties and cost effectiveness, polyamides or nylons have emerged as widely used materials, revolutionizing diverse industries, including industrial 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM). Powder-based AM technologies employ tonnes of polyamide microplastics to produce complex components every year. However, the lack of comprehensive toxicity assessment of particulate polyamides and polyamide-associated chemicals, especially in the light of the global microplastics crisis, calls for urgent action. This study investigated the physicochemical properties of polyamide-12 microplastics used in AM, and assessed a number of toxicity endpoints focusing on inflammation, immunometabolism, genotoxicity, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation, endocrine disruption, and cell morphology. Specifically, microplastics examination by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that work flow reuse of material created a fraction of smaller particles with an average size of 1-5 µm, a size range readily available for uptake by human cells. Moreover, chemical analysis by means of gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry detected several polyamide-associated chemicals including starting material, plasticizer, thermal stabilizer/antioxidant, and migrating slip additive. Even if polyamide particles and chemicals did not induce an acute inflammatory response, repeated and prolonged exposure of human primary macrophages disclosed a steady increase in the levels of proinflammatory chemokine Interleukin-8 (IL-8/CXCL-8). Moreover, targeted metabolomics disclosed that polyamide particles modulated the kynurenine pathway and some of its key metabolites. The p53-responsive luciferase reporter gene assay showed that particles per se were able to activate p53, being indicative of a genotoxic stress. Polyamide-associated chemicals triggered moderate activation of AhR and elicited anti-androgenic activity. Finally, a high-throughput and non-targeted morphological profiling by Cell Painting assay outlined major sites of bioactivity of polyamide-associated chemicals and indicated putative mechanisms of toxicity in the cells. These findings reveal that the increasing use of polyamide microplastics may pose a potential health risk for the exposed individuals, and it merits more attention.
Topics: Humans; Nylons; Microplastics; Plastics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; Plasticizers; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 38183898
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108412 -
Environment International Oct 2023Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used as flame retardants and plasticizers, are chemicals of concern for maternal and infant health. Prior studies examining temporal...
BACKGROUND
Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used as flame retardants and plasticizers, are chemicals of concern for maternal and infant health. Prior studies examining temporal trends and predictors of OPE exposure are primarily limited by small sample sizes.
OBJECTIVES
Characterize temporal trends and predictors of OPE exposure biomarkers.
METHODS
We determined urinary concentrations of eight biomarkers of OPE exposure at three timepoints during pregnancy for participants in the LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study (n = 900), a nested case-cohort recruited between 2007 and 2018. We examined biomarker concentrations, their variability during pregnancy, and temporal trends over the study period. In addition, we identified sociodemographic and pregnancy characteristics associated with biomarker concentrations. Analyses were conducted using both the within-subject pregnancy geometric means and biomarker concentrations measured at individual study visits.
RESULTS
Five OPE biomarkers were detected in at least 60% of the study participants. Biomarkers were not strongly correlated with one another and intraclass correlation coefficients, measuring within-subject variability during pregnancy, ranged from 0.27 to 0.51. Biomarkers exhibited varying temporal trends across study years. For example, bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP) increased monotonically, whereas bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), displayed non-monotonic trends with concentrations that peaked between 2011 and 2014. We observed associations between sociodemographic characteristics and OPE biomarkers. In general, concentrations of most OPE biomarkers were higher among participants from racial and ethnic minority populations, participants who were younger, had higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and less than a college degree. We observed consistent results using either averaged or visit-specific biomarker concentrations.
SIGNIFICANCE
We observed widespread exposure to several OPEs and OPE biomarkers displayed varying temporal trends in pregnant people from 2007 to 2018. Concentrations of most OPE biomarkers varied according to sociodemographic factors, suggesting higher burdens of exposure among participants with higher pre-pregnancy BMI, those belonging to racial and ethnic minority populations, and lower educational attainment.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Flame Retardants; Plasticizers; Ethnicity; Minority Groups; Esters; Organophosphates; Phosphates; Biomarkers
PubMed: 37708814
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108194 -
Journal of Exposure Science &... May 2022Persistent organic pollutant exposures are well-documented in the Arctic, but fewer studies examined non-persistent chemicals, despite increased market food and consumer...
BACKGROUND
Persistent organic pollutant exposures are well-documented in the Arctic, but fewer studies examined non-persistent chemicals, despite increased market food and consumer product consumption.
OBJECTIVE
To measure phenol, paraben, phthalate, and alternative plasticizer concentrations in Inuit adults.
METHODS
The study included 30 pooled urine samples from Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Q2017) participants. Creatinine-adjusted geometric mean concentrations (GM) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were compared across sex, age, and regions, and compared to those in the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) and the First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative (FNBI).
RESULTS
Q2017 bisphenol-A concentrations were double the CHMS 2018-2019 concentrations [GM (95% CI): 1.98 (1.69-2.31) versus 0.71 (0.60-0.84) µg/g creatinine], but in line with FNBI [1.74 (1.41-2.13) µg/g creatinine]. Several phthalate concentrations were higher in Q2017 versus CHMS, particularly monobenzyl phthalate, which was was 19-fold higher in Q2017 versus CHMS 2018-2019 [45.26 (39.35-52.06) versus 2.4 (2.0-2.9) µg/g creatinine] and four-fold higher than FNBI. There were also four-fold higher concentrations of the two alternate plasticizer 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TIXB) metabolites in Q2017 compared to CHMS 2018-2019. Women and people living in Ungava Bay had generally higher concentrations of non-persistent chemicals.
SIGNIFICANCE
The results suggest higher concentrations of certain non-persistent chemicals in Inuit versus the general Canadian population.
IMPACT
Few studies have explored non-persistent chemical distributions in Northern communities, despite the increasing consumer product and market food consumption. We analyzed 30 pooled samples from the Qanuilirpitaa? Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2017 to assess exposures to common plasticizes and plastic constituents and compare their levels with the general Canadian population and First Nation groups. We observed particularly higher levels of bisphenol-A, of monobenzyl phthalate, and of two 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate (TXIB) metabolites among Nunavimmiut compared to the general Canadian population, notably among women and Ungava Bay residents. Larger studies are required to confirm our findings and identify potential adverse health effects from these exposures.
Topics: Adult; Canada; Creatinine; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Female; Humans; Phthalic Acids; Plasticizers; Plastics
PubMed: 35347231
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00425-w -
Biosensors Dec 2022As an antibody-free sensing membrane for the detection of the antibiotic tetracycline (TC), a liquid PVC membrane doped with the ion-pair tetracycline/θ-shaped anion...
As an antibody-free sensing membrane for the detection of the antibiotic tetracycline (TC), a liquid PVC membrane doped with the ion-pair tetracycline/θ-shaped anion [3,3'-Co(1,2-CBH)] ([-COSAN]) was formulated and deposited on a SWCNT modified gold microelectrode. The chosen transduction technique was electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The PVC membrane was composed of: the tetracycline/[-COSAN] ion-pair, a plasticizer. A detection limit of 0.3 pg/L was obtained with this membrane, using bis(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate as a plasticizer. The sensitivity of detection of tetracycline was five times higher than that of oxytetracycline and of terramycin, and 22 times higher than that of demeclocycline. A shelf-life of the prepared sensor was more than six months and was used for detection in spiked honey samples. These results open the way to having continuous monitoring sensors with a high detection capacity, are easy to clean, avoid the use of antibodies, and produce a direct measurement.
Topics: Plasticizers; Tetracycline; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Microelectrodes; Antibodies; Oxytetracycline
PubMed: 36671906
DOI: 10.3390/bios13010071 -
PloS One 2023The etiology of autism spectrum (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) disorders are multifactorial. Epidemiological studies have shown associations with...
BACKGROUND
The etiology of autism spectrum (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) disorders are multifactorial. Epidemiological studies have shown associations with environmental pollutants, such as plasticizers. This study focused on two of these compounds, the Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP). The major pathway for BPA and DEHP excretion is via glucuronidation. Glucuronidation makes insoluble substances more water-soluble allowing for their subsequent elimination in urine.
HYPOTHESIS
Detoxification of these two plasticizers is compromised in children with ASD and ADHD. Consequently, their tissues are more exposed to these two plasticizers.
METHODS
We measured the efficiency of glucuronidation in three groups of children, ASD (n = 66), ADHD (n = 46) and healthy controls (CTR, n = 37). The children were recruited from the clinics of Rutgers-NJ Medical School. A urine specimen was collected from each child. Multiple mass spectrometric analyses including the complete metabolome were determined and used to derive values for the efficiency of glucuronidation for 12 varied glucuronidation pathways including those for BPA and MEHP.
RESULTS
(1) Both fold differences and metabolome analyses showed that the three groups of children were metabolically different from each other. (2) Of the 12 pathways examined, only the BPA and DEHP pathways discriminated between the three groups. (3) Glucuronidation efficiencies for BPA were reduced by 11% for ASD (p = 0.020) and 17% for ADHD (p<0.001) compared to controls. DEHP showed similar, but not significant trends.
CONCLUSION
ASD and ADHD are clinically and metabolically different but share a reduction in the efficiency of detoxification for both BPA and DEHP with the reductions for BPA being statistically significant.
Topics: Humans; Child; Diethylhexyl Phthalate; Plasticizers; Neurodevelopmental Disorders
PubMed: 37703261
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289841 -
Environmental Research Nov 2022Phthalates are widely used as plasticizers. Laboratory-based mechanistic and epidemiological studies suggest that phthalates are detrimental to human health. Here, we...
Phthalates are widely used as plasticizers. Laboratory-based mechanistic and epidemiological studies suggest that phthalates are detrimental to human health. Here, we present prospective analyses on phthalate exposure and all-cause, as well as cause-specific, mortality from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a population-based cohort. Between 1999 and 2018, urinary concentrations of 12 phthalate metabolites were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in spot urine samples of 10,881 adults aged 40-85 years, of which 2382 died over a median duration of 8.9 years after sample provision. Multivariable Cox regression analyses adjusted for a wide range of lifestyle factors and comorbidities showed that higher concentrations of mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and Mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) were associated with increased mortality. The hazard ratios for participants in the highest quartiles of MBzP and MnBP concentrations were at 1.27 [95% confidence interval: 1.08, 1.49; p = 0.002] and 1.35 [1.13, 1.62; p = 0.005). These findings reinforce the need for monitoring of phthalate exposure in relation to health outcomes.
Topics: Adult; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants; Humans; Nutrition Surveys; Phthalic Acids; Plasticizers; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35868575
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113927 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2022Plasticizers increase the flexibility of plastics. As environmental leachates they lead to increased water and soil pollution, as well as to serious harm to human...
Plasticizers increase the flexibility of plastics. As environmental leachates they lead to increased water and soil pollution, as well as to serious harm to human health. This study was set out to explore various web applications to predict the toxicological properties of plasticizers. Web-based tools (e.g., BOILED-Egg, LAZAR, PROTOX-II, CarcinoPred-EL) and VEGA were accessed via an 5th-10th generation computer in order to obtain toxicological predictions. Based on the LAZAR mutagenicity assessment was only bisphenol F predicted as mutagenic. The BBP and DBP in RF; DEHP in RF and XGBoost; DNOP in RF and XGBoost models were predicted as carcinogenic in the CarcinoPred-EL web application. From the bee predictive model (KNN/IRFMN) BPF, di-n-propyl phthalate, diallyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and diisohexyl phthalate were predicted as strong bee toxicants. Acute toxicity for fish using the model Sarpy/IRFMN predicted 19 plasticizers as strong toxicants with LC50 values of less than 1 mg/L. This study also considered plasticizer effects on gastrointestinal absorption and other toxicological endpoints.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Bees; Plasticizers; Dibutyl Phthalate
PubMed: 36385271
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18327-0 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2024Measures to endorse the adoption of eco-friendly biodegradable plastics as a response to the scale of plastic pollution has created a demand for innovative products from... (Review)
Review
Measures to endorse the adoption of eco-friendly biodegradable plastics as a response to the scale of plastic pollution has created a demand for innovative products from materials from Nature. Ionic liquids (ILs) have the ability to disrupt the hydrogen bonding network of biopolymers, increase the mobility of biopolymer chains, reduce friction, and produce materials with various morphologies and mechanical properties. Due to these qualities, ILs are considered ideal for plasticizing biopolymers, enabling them to meet a wide range of specifications for biopolymeric materials. This mini-review discusses the effect of different IL-plasticizers on the processing, tensile strength, and elasticity of materials made from various biopolymers (e.g., starch, chitosan, alginate, cellulose), and specifically covers IL-plasticized packaging materials and materials for biomedical and electrochemical applications. Furthermore, challenges (cost, scale, and eco-friendliness) and future research directions in IL-based plasticizers for biopolymers are discussed.
Topics: Ionic Liquids; Plasticizers; Cellulose; Biopolymers; Chitosan
PubMed: 38338998
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031720 -
American Journal of Respiratory and... Sep 2020
Topics: Allergens; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Cross-Over Studies; Dibutyl Phthalate; Humans; Plasticizers
PubMed: 32628859
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202005-2048ED -
Biomacromolecules Apr 2023Biopolymers are abundant, renewable, and biodegradable resources. However, bio-based materials often require toughening additives, like (co)polymers or small...
Biopolymers are abundant, renewable, and biodegradable resources. However, bio-based materials often require toughening additives, like (co)polymers or small plasticizing molecules. Plasticization is monitored via the glass transition temperature versus diluent content. To describe this, several thermodynamic models exist; nevertheless, most expressions are phenomenological and lead to over-parametrization. They also fail to describe the influence of sample history and the degree of miscibility via structure-property relationships. We propose a new model to deal with semi-compatible systems: the generalized mean model, which can classify diluent segregation or partitioning. When the constant is below unity, the addition of plasticizers has hardly any effect, and in some cases, even anti-plasticization is observed. On the other hand, when the is above unity, the system is highly plasticized even for a small addition of the plasticizer compound, which indicates that the plasticizer locally has a higher concentration. To showcase the model, we studied Na-alginate films with increasing sizes of sugar alcohols. Our analysis showed that blends have properties that depend on specific polymer interactions and morphological size effects. Finally, we also modeled other plasticized (bio)polymer systems from the literature, concluding that they all tend to have a heterogeneous nature.
Topics: Transition Temperature; Plasticizers; Temperature; Polymers; Biopolymers; Excipients
PubMed: 36889305
DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01356