TY - JOUR A1 - Brachner, Andreas A1 - Fragouli, Despina A1 - Duarte, Iola F. A1 - Farias, Patricia M. A. A1 - Dembski, Sofia A1 - Ghosh, Manosij A1 - Barisic, Ivan A1 - Zdzieblo, Daniela A1 - Vanoirbeek, Jeroen A1 - Schwabl, Philipp A1 - Neuhaus, Winfried T1 - Assessment of human health risks posed by nano-and microplastics is currently not feasible JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health N2 - The exposure of humans to nano-and microplastic particles (NMPs) is an issue recognized as a potential health hazard by scientists, authorities, politics, non-governmental organizations and the general public. The concentration of NMPs in the environment is increasing concomitantly with global plastic production and the usage of plastic materials. NMPs are detectable in numerous aquatic organisms and also in human samples, therefore necessitating a risk assessment of NMPs for human health. So far, a comprehensive risk assessment of NMPs is hampered by limited availability of appropriate reference materials, analytical obstacles and a lack of definitions and standardized study designs. Most studies conducted so far used polystyrene (PS) spheres as a matter of availability, although this polymer type accounts for only about 7% of total plastic production. Differently sized particles, different concentration and incubation times, and various biological models have been used, yielding hardly comparable data sets. Crucial physico-chemical properties of NMPs such as surface (charge, polarity, chemical reactivity), supplemented additives and adsorbed chemicals have been widely excluded from studies, although in particular the surface of NMPs determines the interaction with cellular membranes. In this manuscript we give an overview about the critical parameters which should be considered when performing risk assessments of NMPs, including novel reference materials, taking into account surface modifications (e.g., reflecting weathering processes), and the possible role of NMPs as a substrate and/or carrier for (pathogenic) microbes. Moreover, we make suggestions for biological model systems to evaluate immediate toxicity, long-term effects and the potential of NMPs to cross biological barriers. We are convinced that standardized reference materials and experimental parameters along with technical innovations in (nano)-particle sampling and analytics are a prerequisite for the successful realization of conclusive human health risk assessments of NMPs. KW - nanoplastics KW - nanoparticles KW - microplastics KW - microparticles KW - human exposure KW - biological barriers KW - biofilm KW - microbe carrier KW - toxicity KW - neurotoxicity Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-219423 SN - 1660-4601 VL - 17 IS - 23 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vandenberg, Laura N. A1 - Chahoud, Ibrahim A1 - Heindel, Jerrold J. A1 - Padmanabhan, Vasantha A1 - Paumgartten, Francisco J. R. A1 - Schönfelder, Gilbert T1 - Urinary, Circulating, and Tissue Biomonitoring Studies Indicate Widespread Exposure to Bisphenol A T1 - Estudos de biomonitoração do sistema urinário, circulatório e tecidos indicam grande exposição ao Bisfenol A JF - Ciência & Saúde Coletiva N2 - Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the highest-volume chemicals produced worldwide, and human exposure to BPA is thought to be ubiquitous. Thus, there are concerns that the amount of BPA to which humans are exposed may cause adverse health effects. We examined many possibilities for why biomonitoring and toxicokinetic studies could come to seemingly conflicting conclusions. More than 80 published human biomonitoring studies that measured BPA concentrations in human tissues, urine, blood, and other fluids, along with two toxicokinetic studies of human BPA metabolism were examined. Unconjugated BPA was routinely detected in blood (in the nanograms per milliliter range), and conjugated BPA was routinely detected in the vast majority of urine samples (also in the nanograms per milliliter range). In stark contrast, toxicokinetic studies proposed that humans are not internally exposed to BPA. Available data from biomonitoring studies clearly indicate that the general population is exposed to BPA and is at risk from internal exposure to unconjugated BPA. The two toxicokinetic studies that suggested human BPA exposure is negligible have significant deficiencies, are directly contradicted by hypothesis-driven studies, and are therefore not reliable for risk assessment purposes. N2 - Bisfenol A (BPA) é um dos produtos químicos mais produzido em todo o mundo, e a exposição humana a ele é considerada onipresente. Assim, há preocupações de que a quantidade de BPA para o qual os seres humanos estão expostos podem causar efeitos adversos à saúde. Nós examinamos muitas possibilidades sobre o porquê estudos de biomonitorização e toxicocinética podem chegar a conclusões aparentemente conflitantes. Mais de 80 estudos publicados de biomonitorização humana que mediram a concentração de BPA em tecidos humanos, urina, sangue e outros fluidos, juntamente com dois estudos de toxicocinética do metabolismo humano BPA foram examinados. BPA não conjugado foi detectado no sangue (nonanogramas por mililitro gama), e BPA conjugado foi detectado na grande maioria das amostras de urina. Em contraste, estudos de toxico-cinética propuseram que os seres humanos não são internamente expostos ao BPA. Dados disponíveis de estudos de biomonitorização indicam que a população em geral está exposta ao BPA e em risco de exposição interna ao BPA não conjugado. Os dois estudos de toxicocinética, que sugeriram a exposição humana ao BPA é insignificante, têm deficiências significativas e estão diretamente refutados por outros estudos e, portanto não são confiáveis para fins de avaliação de risco. KW - human KW - performance liquid-chromatography KW - toxicocinética KW - serum KW - fluorescence detection KW - disrupting chemicals KW - endocrine disruptor KW - human exposure KW - PBPK/PBTK model KW - pregnancy KW - risk assessment KW - toxicokinetics KW - solid-phase extraction KW - tandem mass-spectrometry KW - HPLC-MS/MS method KW - environmental phenols KW - estrogen receptor KW - adipose tissue KW - disruptor endócrino KW - exposição humana KW - modelo PBPK/PBTK KW - gravidez KW - avaliação de risco Y1 - 2012 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-134332 VL - 17 IS - 2 ER -