Smart Materials, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy; Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering, University of Genova, Via All'Opera Pia, 13, 16145, Genova, Italy.
D3-PharmaChemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
Environ Pollut. 2021 Feb 15;271:116262. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116262. Epub 2020 Dec 11.
In recent years, many studies are focusing on the negative effects of plastic pollution, and in particular on the nanosized plastic fragments and their implications on the environment and human health. Nanoplastics in the environment interact with a great number of substances, many of which are dangerous to humans, but the interaction mechanisms, the complexes formation processes, and their biological impact are still poorly understood. Here we report a study on the interactions of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics, produced by laser ablation, with three different types of contaminants: glyphosate, levofloxacin and Hg ions, and we demonstrate that the nanoplastics form complexes with all three contaminants through their favorable binding. Most importantly, this study highlights that to demonstrate the overall effect of the nanoplastics internalized by cells in vitro, it is important to combine alternative methodologies, such as metabolomics, with standard biological assays (i.e., cell viability and ROS production). In this way it becomes possible to better understand the body's response to this new class of pollutants and their possible chronic toxicity. Summary: PET nanoplastics, fabricated by laser ablation, interact with aqueous pollutants forming nanoclusters. The nanoclusters affect the cells metabolism, suggesting long-term risks.
近年来，许多研究都集中在塑料污染的负面影响上，特别是纳米塑料碎片及其对环境和人类健康的影响。环境中的纳米塑料与大量物质相互作用，其中许多物质对人类是危险的，但相互作用机制、复合物形成过程及其生物影响仍知之甚少。在这里，我们报告了一项关于激光烧蚀产生的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯纳米塑料与三种不同类型污染物（草甘膦、左氧氟沙星和汞离子）相互作用的研究，结果表明纳米塑料通过其有利的结合与所有三种污染物形成复合物。最重要的是，这项研究强调，为了证明细胞内内化的纳米塑料的整体效应，结合代谢组学等替代方法与标准生物学测定（即细胞活力和 ROS 产生）非常重要。这样就可以更好地了解人体对这种新型污染物及其可能的慢性毒性的反应。总结：通过激光烧蚀制造的 PET 纳米塑料与水污染物相互作用形成纳米团簇。这些纳米团簇影响细胞的新陈代谢，表明存在长期风险。
