Zhang Lin, Tian Jiaqi, Zhu Xiaodan, Wang Linlin, Yun Xiang, Liang Liyang, Duan Shuyin
Clinical Medical Research Center for Women and Children Diseases, Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan 250001, China; Shandong Provincial Key Medical and Health Laboratory of Women's Occupational Exposure and Fertility Preservation, Jinan 250001, China; Jinan (Preparatory) Key Laboratory of Women's Diseases and Fertility Preservation, Jinan 250001, China.
Clinical Medical Research Center for Women and Children Diseases, Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan 250001, China.
J Hazard Mater. 2025 Jul 15;492:138133. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138133. Epub 2025 Apr 1.
Microplastic (MP) contamination in ecosystems underscores concerns about human bioaccumulation, yet analytical challenges persist due to complex biological matrices and polymer diversity. To systematically evaluate the efficacy of complementary analytical platforms, we conducted this study to systematically evaluate Raman microscopy and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS) for complementary MP detection in human biological samples. Building upon prior research frameworks, 48 paired endometrial and urine samples from parturient women were analyzed under rigorously controlled protocols to minimize exogenous contamination. Raman microscopy identified six polymer types, with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polystyrene (PS) constituting primary components across both sample types. Particle size distributions spanned 1.23-6.98 μm, exhibiting comparable mean diameters in urine (2.85 ± 1.26 μm) and endometrial samples (2.89 ± 1.40 μm). Subsequent py-GC/MS analysis revealed previously undetected polymer co-occurrences (PS, PC, PE, and PVC) in samples initially classified as single-polymer PTFE or PS via Raman spectroscopy, thereby exposing inherent disparities in method-specific sensitivity and resolution. The follow-up multi-method comparison demonstrates that Raman microscopy excels in particle-specific morphological characterization, while py-GC/MS provides polymer quantification and composite identification. Our findings underscore the necessity of integrating orthogonal analytical approaches to overcome methodological limitations and achieve comprehensive MP profiling in complex biological systems.
生态系统中的微塑料（MP）污染凸显了人们对其在人体生物累积方面的担忧，然而由于生物基质复杂且聚合物种类多样，分析挑战依然存在。为了系统评估互补分析平台的效能，我们开展了本研究，以系统评估拉曼显微镜和热解气相色谱 - 质谱联用仪（py - GC/MS）用于检测人体生物样本中互补微塑料的情况。基于先前的研究框架，我们按照严格控制的方案对48对产妇的子宫内膜和尿液样本进行了分析，以尽量减少外源性污染。拉曼显微镜鉴定出六种聚合物类型，聚四氟乙烯（PTFE）和聚苯乙烯（PS）是两种样本类型中的主要成分。粒径分布范围为1.23 - 6.98μm，尿液样本（2.85 ± 1.26μm）和子宫内膜样本（2.89 ± 1.40μm）的平均直径相当。随后的py - GC/MS分析揭示，在最初通过拉曼光谱归类为单一聚合物PTFE或PS的样本中，存在先前未检测到的聚合物共现情况（PS、PC、PE和PVC），从而暴露了特定方法在灵敏度和分辨率方面的固有差异。后续的多方法比较表明，拉曼显微镜在颗粒特异性形态表征方面表现出色，而py - GC/MS则可进行聚合物定量和复合物鉴定。我们的研究结果强调了整合正交分析方法以克服方法局限性并在复杂生物系统中实现全面微塑料分析的必要性。
