Jahedi Faezeh, Haghighi Fard Neamatollah Jaafarzadeh, Ahmadi Mehdi, Takdastan Afshin, Shoushtari Maryam Haddadzadeh, Dehbandi Reza, Turner Andrew
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Environmental Technologies Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Environ Res. 2025 Jun 1;274:121278. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.121278. Epub 2025 Mar 5.
Because of the ubiquity of microplastics (MPs) in the environment there are concerns regarding human exposure. In this study, MPs have been determined in three physiological fluids: urine, sputum and bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF); from 30 adult patients in Iran with respiratory conditions. A total of nine small (20-100 μm) and mainly green and red fibres of polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene construction were detected in urine samples of eight participants. By contrast, 358 MPs that were dominated by small, white and transparent fibres, but also included larger (100-500 μm) fibres and fragments and spherules of various sizes, were detected in sputum samples. Here, a broader range of polymers was identified but polyurethane was dominant. In BALF samples, 123 MPs were detected that included a higher proportion of larger fibres, along with fragments and spherules. The colour distribution of these MPs was similar to that of sputum samples but polymer distribution was closer to that of urine samples. These observations suggest that MPs that are inhaled and ingested might be fractionated differently though the body. Further research is required to elucidate how particles larger than theoretical limits (set by filtration mechanisms) are present in physiological fluids, what fractionation processes are present, and whether ingested or inhaled MPs are responsible for acute and chronic health impacts.
由于微塑料（MPs）在环境中无处不在，人们对其对人类的暴露情况表示担忧。在本研究中，对来自伊朗30名患有呼吸道疾病的成年患者的三种生理液体（尿液、痰液和支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF））中的微塑料进行了测定。在8名参与者的尿液样本中，共检测到9根小的（20 - 100μm）、主要为绿色和红色的聚乙烯、聚丙烯和聚苯乙烯纤维。相比之下，在痰液样本中检测到358个微塑料，其中以小的、白色和透明纤维为主，但也包括较大的（100 - 500μm）纤维以及各种尺寸的碎片和小球体。在这里，鉴定出了更广泛的聚合物类型，但聚氨酯占主导地位。在支气管肺泡灌洗液样本中，检测到123个微塑料，其中较大纤维、碎片和小球体的比例更高。这些微塑料的颜色分布与痰液样本相似，但聚合物分布更接近尿液样本。这些观察结果表明，吸入和摄入的微塑料在体内可能会以不同方式进行分离。需要进一步研究以阐明大于理论极限（由过滤机制设定）的颗粒如何存在于生理液体中、存在哪些分离过程，以及摄入或吸入的微塑料是否会对急性和慢性健康产生影响。
