Hu Xiaojie, Yu Qing, Gatheru Waigi Michael, Ling Wanting, Qin Chao, Wang Jian, Gao Yanzheng
Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China.
Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China.
Environ Int. 2022 Oct;168:107459. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107459. Epub 2022 Aug 8.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in environmental media and human diets and can enrich organic contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives. The bioaccessibilities and triggering cancer risks of MP-sorbed PAHs and PAH derivatives are closely linked with human health, which, however, were rarely focused on. This study explored the sorption behaviors of phenanthrene (PHE) and PHE derivatives on polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) MPs, and assessed their bioaccessibilities in gastrointestinal fluids as well as their inducing human cancer risks. PE MPs harbored the highest sorption capacity, secondly the PP MPs, then the PS ones. Sorption of PHE and PHE derivatives on MPs was positively correlated with their hydrophobicities. The bioaccessibilities of sorbed PHE and PHE derivatives could reach 53.59 %±0.46 %-90.28 %±0.92 % in gastrointestinal fluids and 81.34 %±0.77 %-98.72 %±1.44 % in gastrointestinal fluids with the addition of Tenax (more close to the bioavailability). The hydrophobicities also controlled the bioaccessibilities of PHE and PHE derivatives in gastric fluids, and those in intestinal fluids with Tenax for PS MPs. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values for PHE, PHE-Cl, and PHE-NO on MPs at tested concentrations were all higher than the USEPA-suggested safety limit (10), and most of them were even higher than 10, which thus indicates serious cancer risks. This study promoted our understanding of the potential health threats posed by organic pollutant-bearing MPs in the environment.
微塑料（MPs）在环境介质和人类饮食中无处不在，并且能够富集有机污染物，包括多环芳烃（PAHs）及其衍生物。MPs吸附的PAHs和PAH衍生物的生物可及性以及引发癌症的风险与人类健康密切相关，然而，这方面很少受到关注。本研究探讨了菲（PHE）及其衍生物在聚乙烯（PE）、聚丙烯（PP）和聚苯乙烯（PS）微塑料上的吸附行为，并评估了它们在胃肠液中的生物可及性以及它们诱发人类癌症的风险。PE微塑料的吸附能力最强，其次是PP微塑料，然后是PS微塑料。PHE及其衍生物在微塑料上的吸附与它们的疏水性呈正相关。在胃肠液中，吸附的PHE及其衍生物的生物可及性可达53.59%±0.46% - 90.28%±0.92%，在添加了Tenax（更接近生物利用度）的胃肠液中为81.34%±0.77% - 98.72%±1.44%。疏水性也控制着PHE及其衍生物在胃液中的生物可及性，以及PS微塑料在添加Tenax的肠液中的生物可及性。在测试浓度下，微塑料上PHE、PHE-Cl和PHE-NO的终生癌症风险增量（ILCR）值均高于美国环境保护局建议的安全限值（10），其中大多数甚至高于10，这表明存在严重的癌症风险。本研究增进了我们对环境中携带有机污染物的微塑料所构成的潜在健康威胁的理解。
