Detection of Various Microplastics in Human Stool
2019/09/02 by Philipp Schwabl, Sebastian Köppel, Philipp Königshofer +5 · 58 citations
Environmental Science · Materials Science · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Microplastics and Plastic Pollution #biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties #Biological Research and Disease Studies
paper · doi:10.7326/m19-0618
Abstract
Background: Microplastics are ubiquitous in natural environments. Ingestion of microplastics has been described in marine organisms, whereby particles may enter the food chain. Objective: To examine human feces for the presence of microplastics to determine whether humans involuntarily ingest them. Design: Prospective case series in which participants completed a food diary and sampled stool according to step-by-step instructions. Setting: Europe and Asia. Participants: Eight healthy volunteers aged 33 to 65 years. Measurements: After chemical digestion, Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy was used to analyze the presence and shape of 10 common types of microplastic in stool samples. Results: All 8 stool samples tested positive for microplastics. A median of 20 microplastics (50 to 500 µm in size) per 10 g of human stool were identified. Overall, 9 plastic types were detected, with polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate being the most abundant. Limitations: There were few participants, and each provided only 1 sample. The origin and fate of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract were not investigated. Conclusion: Various microplastics were detected in human stool, suggesting inadvertent ingestion from different sources. Further research on the extent of microplastic intake and the potential effect on human health is needed. Primary Funding Source: None.
Cited by
- Activities of Microplastics (MPs) in Agricultural Soil: A Review of MPs Pollution from the Perspective of Agricultural Ecosystems
- The reproductive and transgenerational toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics: A threat to mammalian fertility in both sexes
- Detection of Various Microplastics in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery
- Microplastics-perturbed gut microbiota triggered the testicular disorder in male mice: Via fecal microbiota transplantation
- Continuous oral exposure to micro- and nanoplastics induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, intestinal barrier and immune dysfunction in adult mice
- Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood
- Exposure of Human Lung Cells to Polystyrene Microplastics Significantly Retards Cell Proliferation and Triggers Morphological Changes
- The Kidney-Related Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells HK-2 and Male C57BL/6 Mice
- Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta
- From prey to predator: an in-situ observation of microplastic trophic transfer from Mytilus edulis to Asterias rubens
- Microplastics role in cell migration and distribution during cancer cell division
- Exposure to polystyrene microplastics with different functional groups: Implications for blood pressure and heart
- Multiomics analysis revealed the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics at different environmentally relevant concentrations on intestinal homeostasis
- Microplastics release phthalate esters and cause aggravated adverse effects in the mouse gut
- A review of microplastic pollution in commercial fish for human consumption
- Food and human safety: the impact of microplastics
- Fighting microplastics: The role of dietary fibers in protecting health
- The dark matter in water, air and land: from microplastic to invisible nanoplastics
- Photocatalytic valorisation of real-world substrates
- Detection of microplastics in the feline placenta and fetus
- Microplastics generated when opening plastic packaging
- Atmospheric microplastics: exposure, toxicity, and detrimental health effects
- From Microplastics to Nanoplastics: Critical Advances and Persistent Challenges in Detection and Quantification
- Toxicity of nano- and microplastics on marine and freshwater fish: A multi-scale perspective from organ systems to cells
- The potential effects of microplastics on human health: What is known and what is unknown
- Association of faecal and urinary micro- and nanoplastics with markers of gut integrity and renal function
- Micro- and nano-plastics induce inflammation and cell death in human cells
- Microplastics in human body: accumulation, natural clearance, and biomedical detoxification strategies
- Comparative analysis of reproductive toxicity of polystyrene‐nanoplastics and polystyrene‐microplastics in rat Sertoli cells
- Rapid identification of microplastics in complex biological matrices via high-speed mid-infrared hyperspectral imaging
- A Detailed Review Study on Potential Effects of Microplastics and Additives of Concern on Human Health
- Human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics: a mechanistic perspective of health risks associated with metabolic and reproductive functions
- Twenty years of microplastic pollution research—what have we learned?
- Current Insights into Monitoring, Bioaccumulation, and Potential Health Effects of Microplastics Present in the Food Chain. [europepmc]
- A Detailed Review Study on Potential Effects of Microplastics and Additives of Concern on Human Health. [europepmc]
- Toxicity of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Systems. [europepmc]
- Microplastics generated when opening plastic packaging. [europepmc]
- Health impacts of environmental contamination of micro- and nanoplastics: a review. [europepmc]
- Microplastic contamination of drinking water: A systematic review. [europepmc]
- Human Health and Ocean Pollution. [europepmc]
- Microplastic Contamination of Seafood Intended for Human Consumption: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. [europepmc]
- Detection of microplastics in human colectomy specimens. [europepmc]
- Effect of microplastics in water and aquatic systems. [europepmc]
- Lifetime Accumulation of Microplastic in Children and Adults. [europepmc]
- The Kidney-Related Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Human Kidney Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells HK-2 and Male C57BL/6 Mice. [europepmc]
- Underestimated health risks: polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics jointly induce intestinal barrier dysfunction by ROS-mediated epithelial cell apoptosis. [europepmc]
- The potential effects of microplastics on human health: What is known and what is unknown. [europepmc]
- Detection of Microplastic in Human Placenta and Meconium in a Clinical Setting. [europepmc]
- A Review of Human Exposure to Microplastics and Insights Into Microplastics as Obesogens. [europepmc]
- Microplastics in the Environment: Intake through the Food Web, Human Exposure and Toxicological Effects. [europepmc]
- Micro and Nanoplastics Identification: Classic Methods and Innovative Detection Techniques. [europepmc]
- Raman Microspectroscopy Detection and Characterisation of Microplastics in Human Breastmilk. [europepmc]
- Micro- and nanoplastics - current state of knowledge with the focus on oral uptake and toxicity. [europepmc]
- First Evidence of Microplastics in Human Urine, a Preliminary Study of Intake in the Human Body. [europepmc]
- A review of the endocrine disrupting effects of micro and nano plastic and their associated chemicals in mammals. [europepmc]
- Recent insights into uptake, toxicity, and molecular targets of microplastics and nanoplastics relevant to human health impacts. [europepmc]
- The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health. [europepmc]
- Microplastic sources, formation, toxicity and remediation: a review. [europepmc]
Related