Dataset Information

Poor extraction efficiencies of polystyrene nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil.

ABSTRACT: Extraction and quantification of nano- and microplastics from sediments and soils is challenging. Although no standard method has been established so far, flotation is commonly used to separate plastic from mineral material. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of flotation for the extraction of nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil. We spiked biosolids and soil samples with polystyrene nano- and microbeads (0.05, 1.0, 2.6, 4.8, and 100 ?m diameter). Different extraction methods (w/ and w/o H2O2 digestion) were tested, and plastic beads were separated from mineral particles by flotation in a ZnCl2 solution. Plastic particles were quantified by UV-Vis spectrometry and gravimetrically. While large beads (100 ?m) could be quantitatively extracted (?100%) from both biosolids and soils, smaller beads had low extraction efficiencies (ranging from 5 to 80%, with an average of 20%). Except for the 100 ?m beads, oxidation with H2O2 negatively impacted the extraction efficiencies. For the soil, extraction with water only, followed by flotation in a ZnCl2 solution, resulted in relatively high extraction efficiencies (>75%) for beads larger than 1 ?m, but low efficiencies (<30%) for the 0.05 and 1.0 ?m beads. Our results indicate that while flotation generally works to separate plastic nano- and microbeads in a solution, the challenge is to quantitatively extract nano- and microbeads from a biosolids or soil matrix. Samples high in organic matter content require removal of the organic matter, but the common method of H2O2 oxidation leads to poor extraction efficiencies for nano- and microbeads.

SUBMITTER: Wang Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6264880 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Poor extraction efficiencies of polystyrene nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil.

Wang Zhan Z Taylor Stephen E SE Sharma Prabhakar P Flury Markus M

PloS one 20181129 11

Extraction and quantification of nano- and microplastics from sediments and soils is challenging. Although no standard method has been established so far, flotation is commonly used to separate plastic from mineral material. The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of flotation for the extraction of nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil. We spiked biosolids and soil samples with polystyrene nano- and microbeads (0.05, 1.0, 2.6, 4.8, and 100 μm diameter). Different extract ...[more]

PMID: 30496263

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Project description:Plastics are persistent synthetic polymers that accumulate in the marine environment as waste. Microplastic (MP) particles are derived from the breakdown of larger debris or can enter the environment as microscopic fragments. Filter-feeder organisms ingest MP while feeding and are likely to be impacted by MP pollution. To assess the impact of polystyrene microspheres (PS) on the physiology of the Pacific oyster, adult oysters were experimentally exposed to virgin micro-PS (2 and 6 Âµm in diameter; 32 Âµg L-1) for two months during a reproductive cycle. Effects were investigated on transcriptomic responses, in digestive gland gonads and oocytes of exposed oysters. Transcriptomic profiles in the tissues of the exposed oyster showed endocrine disrupting signals, notably highlighting alteration in glucocorticoid response, insulin pathway and fatty-acid metabolism in response to micro-PS exposition. In oocytes from exposed females, several transcripts coding for proteins involved in Ca2+ binding were differentially expressed suggesting a disruption of the Ca2+ signaling pathway with crucial consequences on oocyte maturation. To assess the impact of polystyrene microspheres (PS) on the physiology of the Pacific oyster, adult oysters were experimentally exposed to virgin micro-PS (2 and 6 Âµm in diameter; 32 Âµg L-1) for two months during a reproductive cycle and compared to control oysters. Adults were sampled 2 and 8 weeks after the beginning of exposure (corresponding to T1 and T3, respectively, 8-9 replicates per time of sampling and condition for a total of 56). Tissues were immediately dissected from each oyster, frozen in liquid nitrogen, then crushed to a fine powder at -196Â°C with an oscillating mill mixer and stored in liquid nitrogen until RNA extraction. Oocytes were collected from 5 females per condition, filtered in a 40 Âµm sieve, counted and transferred into 1.5 mL of Extract-all reagent (Eurobio, Courtaboeuf, France) (20,000 oocytes). Total RNA was isolated using 1.5 mL of Extract-all Reagent per 50 mg of gonad powder. For microarray hybridizations, 200 ng of total RNA were indirectly labeled with Cy3 using the Low Input Quick Amp Labeling kit One-Color. Hybridization was performed using the Agilent Gene expression hybridization kit (5188-5242), with 1.65 Î¼g of labeled RNA, for 16 h at 65 Â°C. The employed arrays were Agilent 60-mer 4x44K custom microarrays, containing 31,918 C. gigas ESTs, designed by Dheilly et al. (2011). Slides were scanned on an Agilent Technologies G2565AA Microarray Scanner system at 5 Î¼m resolution, using default parameters. Features were extracted using the Agilent Feature Extraction software 6.1.

Project description:BackgroundPregnancy, infancy, and childhood are sensitive windows for environmental exposures. Yet the health effects of exposure to nano- and microplastics (NMPs) remain largely uninvestigated or unknown. Although plastic chemicals are a well-established research topic, the impacts of plastic particles are unexplored, especially with regard to early life exposures.ObjectivesThis commentary aims to summarize the knowns and unknowns around child- and pregnancy-relevant exposures to NMPs via inhalation, placental transfer, ingestion and breastmilk, and dermal absorption.MethodsA comprehensive literature search to map the state of the science on NMPs found 37 primary research articles on the health relevance of NMPs during early life and revealed major knowledge gaps in the field. We discuss opportunities and challenges for quantifying child-specific exposures (e.g., NMPs in breastmilk or infant formula) and health effects, in light of global inequalities in baby bottle use, consumption of packaged foods, air pollution, hazardous plastic disposal, and regulatory safeguards. We also summarize research needs for linking child health and NMP exposures and address the unknowns in the context of public health action.DiscussionFew studies have addressed child-specific sources of exposure, and exposure estimates currently rely on generic assumptions rather than empirical measurements. Furthermore, toxicological research on NMPs has not specifically focused on child health, yet children's immature defense mechanisms make them particularly vulnerable. Apart from few studies investigating the placental transfer of NMPs, the physicochemical properties (e.g., polymer, size, shape, charge) driving the absorption, biodistribution, and elimination in early life have yet to be benchmarked. Accordingly, the evidence base regarding the potential health impacts of NMPs in early life remains sparse. Based on the evidence to date, we provide recommendations to fill research gaps, stimulate policymakers and industry to address the safety of NMPs, and point to opportunities for families to reduce early life exposures to plastic. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9086.

Dataset Information

Poor extraction efficiencies of polystyrene nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil.

Publications

Poor extraction efficiencies of polystyrene nano- and microplastics from biosolids and soil.

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