Excited to share our latest publication in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety:
Impact of a pristine versus gastric acid-treated low-density polyethylene in a human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cell line.
Most studies investigate pristine microplastics, but ingested microplastics first pass through the stomach, where acidic conditions can alter their properties.
In this study, we show that simulated gastric acid changes the physicochemical properties of environmentally relevant LDPE microplastics, increasing their redox-inducing potential and altering their biological effects in human intestinal cells. Interestingly, these particles affected membrane integrity and mitochondrial network morphology without being taken up by the cells, highlighting that extracellular interactions may play a more important role than previously recognised.
Our findings emphasise that particle weathering during digestion should be considered in future microplastic toxicity studies and human health risk assessment.
Congratulations to Inés Tejeda and all co-authors/collaborators!
📄 Read the paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651326008626
#Microplastics #ParticleToxicology #InVitro #HazardAssessment #HumanHealth