Influence of the digestive process on intestinal toxicity of polystyrene microplastics as determined by in vitro Caco-2 models.
Chemosphere
; 256: 127204, 2020 Oct.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32470746
ABSTRACT
The digestive tract is an important target organ for microplastics (MPs). However, little is known about the effects of digestive treatment on the intestinal toxicity of MPs. In this study, an in vitro digestive process was applied to transform 100 nm and 5 µm polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs). Intestinal toxicities of original PS-MPs and transformed PS-MPs (t-PS-MPs) were determined using an in vitro Caco-2 monolayer model. Results showed that the digestive process did not alter the chemical constitution of PS-MPs, but formed a corona on the surface of PS-MPs. The 100 nm PS-MPs showed higher intestinal toxicity than 5 µm PS-MPs. Digestive treatment relieved cytotoxicity and transport function disorder of the Caco-2 monolayer induced by the original PS-MPs. Moreover, the combined toxicities of PS-MPs and arsenic were also decreased by digestive treatment. However, the in vitro digestive process increased the proinflammatory effects of PS-MPs. The formation of a corona on the PS-MP surface, which lead to a change in size, Zeta potential, and adsorbed compounds, might induce the above influence of digestive treatment. Our study suggests that direct cytotoxicity assays of PS-MPs might misestimate their intestinal effects, which provide new lights to the toxicity evaluation of PS-MPs by oral exposure.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Poliestirenos
/
Poluentes Químicos da Água
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Digestão
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Microplásticos
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Intestinos
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Chemosphere
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article