TY - JOUR
T1 - MicroRaman spectroscopy detects the presence of microplastics in human urine and kidney tissue
AU - Massardo, Sara
AU - Verzola, Daniela
AU - Alberti, Stefano
AU - Caboni, Claudia
AU - Santostefano, Matteo
AU - Eugenio Verrina, Enrico
AU - Angeletti, Andrea
AU - Lugani, Francesca
AU - Ghiggeri, Gian Marco
AU - Bruschi, Maurizio
AU - Candiano, Giovanni
AU - Rumeo, Noemi
AU - Gentile, Micaela
AU - Cravedi, Paolo
AU - La Maestra, Sebastiano
AU - Zaza, Gianluigi
AU - Stallone, Giovanni
AU - Esposito, Pasquale
AU - Viazzi, Francesca
AU - Mancianti, Nicoletta
AU - La Porta, Edoardo
AU - Artini, Cristina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024/2
Y1 - 2024/2
N2 - There is a growing concern within the medical community about the potential burden of microplastics on human organs and tissues. In this study, we investigated by microRaman spectroscopy the presence of microplastics in human kidneys and urine. Moreover, an open-access software was developed and validated for the project, which enabled the comparison between the investigated spectra and a self-created spectral database, thus enhancing the ability to characterize polymers and pigments in biological matrices. Healthy portions of ten kidneys obtained from nephrectomies, as well as ten urine samples from healthy donors were analyzed: 26 particles in both kidney and urine samples were identified, with sizes ranging from 3 to 13 μm in urine and from 1 to 29 μm in kidneys. The most frequently determined polymers are polyethylene and polystyrene, while the most common pigments are hematite and Cu-phthalocyanine. This preclinical study proves the presence of microplastics in renal tissues and confirms their presence in urine, providing the first evidence of kidney microplastics deposition in humans.
AB - There is a growing concern within the medical community about the potential burden of microplastics on human organs and tissues. In this study, we investigated by microRaman spectroscopy the presence of microplastics in human kidneys and urine. Moreover, an open-access software was developed and validated for the project, which enabled the comparison between the investigated spectra and a self-created spectral database, thus enhancing the ability to characterize polymers and pigments in biological matrices. Healthy portions of ten kidneys obtained from nephrectomies, as well as ten urine samples from healthy donors were analyzed: 26 particles in both kidney and urine samples were identified, with sizes ranging from 3 to 13 μm in urine and from 1 to 29 μm in kidneys. The most frequently determined polymers are polyethylene and polystyrene, while the most common pigments are hematite and Cu-phthalocyanine. This preclinical study proves the presence of microplastics in renal tissues and confirms their presence in urine, providing the first evidence of kidney microplastics deposition in humans.
KW - Kidney
KW - Micro-Raman spectroscopy
KW - Microplastics
KW - Pigments
KW - Urine
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85184267870
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108444
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108444
M3 - Article
C2 - 38281449
AN - SCOPUS:85184267870
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 184
JO - Environment international
JF - Environment international
M1 - 108444
ER -