The EU Cluster for Understanding impacts of micro- and nano-plastics on human health
Published January 31, 2024 | Version v1
Publication Open

Nominally identical microplastic models differ greatly in their particle-cell interactions

Creators

  • 1. ROR icon University of Bayreuth
  • 2. Biofluid Simulation andModeling – Theoretical Physics VI, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth,Germany
  • 3. Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Dresden,Germany
  • 4. Experimental Biogeochemistry, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth,Germany.
  • 5. Biofluid Simulation and Modeling – Theoretical Physics VI, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
  • 6. Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Dresden, Germany
  • 7. Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V., Institute of Physical Chemistry and Polymer Physics, Dresden, Germany.
  • 8. Animal Ecology I and BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
  • 9. Biological Physics, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

Description

Due to the abundance of microplastics in the environment, research about its possible adverse effects is increasing exponentially.Most studies investigating the effect of microplastics on cells still rely on commercially available polystyrene microspheres. However, the choice of these model microplastic particles can affect the outcome of the studies, as even nominally identical model microplastics may interact differently with cells due to different surface properties such as the surface charge. Here, we show that nominally identical polystyrene microspheres from eight different manufacturers significantly differ in their ζ-potential, which is the electrical potential of a particle in a
medium at its slipping plane. The ζ-potential of the polystyrene particles is additionally altered after environmental exposure. We developed a microfluidic microscopy platform to demonstrate that the ζ-potential determines particle-cell adhesion strength. Furthermore, we find that due to this effect, the ζ-potential also strongly determines the internalization of the microplastic particles into cells. Therefore, the ζ-potential can act as a proxy of microplastic-cell interactions and may govern adverse effects reported in various organisms exposed to microplastics.

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Nominally identical microplastic models differ greatly in their particle cell interactions.pdf

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Additional details

Funding

PlasticsFatE – Plastics fate and effects in the human body 965367
European Commission