Preliminary Study on the Toxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics in Human Colorectal Cells

¹ Research Group on Intestinal Toxicity of Microplastics, Beijing, 100080, China
² High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100080, China

^* 20081210wxr@aliyun.com; ayangjia@rdfz.cn

Abstract

According to this rapid urbanization background, the widespread presence of microplastics in the environment, caused by plastic pollution and poor waste management, poses a huge threat to public health. This research aims to evaluate the colorectal health risk associated with microplastics and provides data for managing urban water and food security. We have evaluated the toxic impact of different sizes (80 nm and 500 nm) of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on human colorectal cells (NCM460). Analyses were conducted to assess changes in cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptotic response after exposure to PS-MPs of varying particle sizes and concentrations. Our results revealed that 80 nm and 500 nm PS-MPs significantly reduced cell viability, induced cell apoptosis, and prolonged the time that cells stay in the S-phase. These results demonstrated a size-and concentration-dependent toxic effect. Therefore, this investigation provides experimental evidence for evaluating the intestinal health risks of microplastics, and calls for the optimization of the water treatment process in the field of environmental engineering to achieve targeted removal of these high-risk microplastics.