Determination of extractable pollutants from microplastics to vegetables: Accumulation and incorporation into the food chain

Predicting microplastic quantities in Indonesian provincial rivers using machine learning models

Microplastic pollution has surfaced as a critical environmental concern, affecting ecosystems and human health globally. This study explored the application of several machine learning models, including the Tree algorithm, k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Random Forest (RF), Linear Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Neural Networks (NN), to predict microplastic concentrations in the rivers of Indonesia's 24 provinces. By utilizing both environmental and anthropogenic data, the Tree algorithm exhibited the best performance, achieving a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.838 and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.242 on unseen testing data, thereby highlighting strong predictive capability. Key variables influencing microplastic abundance included annual average temperature, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and population density. The results underscored the necessity of utilizing comprehensive datasets for effective modeling and highlighted the potential of machine learning to enhance environmental monitoring efforts. This research provides critical insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to address the growing issue of microplastic pollution in freshwater systems, providing a foundation for the development of more effective environmental management strategies.

A systematic review and quality assessment of estimated daily intake of microplastics through food

Plastic waste enters the oceans and soil and is consumed by organisms and humans. Some of the ingested microplastics may remain in the human body and cause toxicity. We conducted a systematic review to estimate the extent to which humans are exposed to microplastics through consumption and performed a quality assessment of research results. We searched for studies published up to December 2023 and included studies that reported on the characteristics and estimated intake of microplastics. The quality assessment tool reported in previous studies was used for food and drinking water studies. We included 76 studies in the analysis, and the types of foods were classified into seven categories: seafood, drinking water, table salt, fruits and vegetables, beverages, condiments, and meat. The estimated daily intake of microplastics via food was 0.0002-1,531,524 MP/day, with the highest value in bottled water. The quality of food and drinking water studies was evaluated using a quantitative tool to assess reliability. The quality of food studies was 11.50 out of 20 points and the quality of drinking water studies was 11.16 out of 19 points. These results indicate that the closer the score is to the maximum, the more reliable the research findings. The quantitative assessment can be used as an indicator for evaluating the risks of microplastics and can help reduce biases that may occur during the research process. This study confirmed microplastics in foods and human exposure to up to one million microplastics daily. Our study emphasizes the potential for microplastic exposure through food intake and subsequent accumulation in the human body; therefore, efforts are needed to reduce exposure to microplastics in daily life.

Association between Prenatal Dietary Toxicants and Infant Neurodevelopment: The Role of Fish

More research is needed to understand how the maternal consumption of fish and fish-borne toxicants impacts infant neurodevelopment. The present analysis was conducted over 460 mother-infant pairs within the ECLIPSES study. Dietary intake of metals and persistent organic pollutants from fish (including white fish, blue fish, and seafood) was estimated in pregnant women. The infants underwent cognitive, language, and motor function assessments using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III at the 40-day postpartum. Associations between dietary toxicants and outcomes were assessed using multivariable linear regression models. Estimated prenatal exposure to fish-borne toxicants, such as arsenic, inorganic arsenic, methylmercury, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs), and non-DL-PCBs, was associated with poorer language functions in infants, whereas no significant associations were found with motor or cognitive functions. Maternal fish consumption exceeding the Spanish recommendation of no more than 71 g per day was linked to these adverse effects on language abilities without affecting motor or cognitive development. This highlights the importance of vigilant monitoring of environmental toxicants and the provision of dietary guidance for pregnant women, with potential implications for public health and child development.

Exposure to environmental levels of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol affects digestive glands and induces inflammation in Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea)

2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP) is used as an antioxidant added to plastics. Due to its potential toxicity and relatively high concentrations in environments and presence in human tissue, concern has been raised for 2,4-DTBP as a contaminant associated with adverse health outcomes. However, studies on the toxicity of 2,4-DTBP are relatively limited, especially for benthic aquatic organisms. In this study, Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 2,4-DTBP (0.01-1 μM, corresponding to 2.06-206.32 μg/L) for 21 days. Accumulation of 2,4-DTBP was noted in both gills and digestive glands, with the latter presenting as the primary target tissue. Increased damage rate of digestive tube and cellular DNA damage were observed in the digestive glands of 2,4-DTBP exposed clams. The injury was attributed to the imbalance of the antioxidant system, characterized by elevated oxidative stress and inflammation (upregulation of ROS, MDA, NO, and pro-inflammatory factors). In contrast, upon 2,4-DTBP exposure, antioxidant system in gills was activated, while ROS and NO were not promoted. Moreover, NF-κB and IL-1 were significantly decreased. These results suggested that biochemical mechanisms were activated in gills to maintain homeostasis. Internal exposure in the digestive gland was significantly correlated with the biochemical biomarkers tested, underscoring the potential risk associated with the bioaccumulation of 2,4-DTBP from contaminated environments. These findings provide novel insights into toxicity of 2,4-DTBP in bivalves, contributing valuable knowledge to risk assessment and chemical management.