Microplastics are particles smaller than five millimeters deriving from the degradation of plastic objects present in the environment. Microplastics can move from the environment to living organisms, including mammals. In this study, six human placentas, collected from consenting women with physiological pregnancies, were analyzed by Raman Microspectroscopy to evaluate the presence of microplastics. In total, 12 microplastic fragments (ranging from 5 to 10 μm in size), with spheric or irregular shape were found in 4 placentas (5 in the fetal side, 4 in the maternal side and 3 in the chorioamniotic membranes); all microplastics particles were characterized in terms of morphology and chemical composition. All of them were pigmented; three were identified as stained polypropylene a thermoplastic polymer, while for the other nine it was possible to identify only the pigments, which were all used for man-made coatings, paints, adhesives, plasters, finger paints, polymers and cosmetics and personal care products.

Plasticenta: first evidence of microplastics in human placenta / Ragusa, Antonio; Svelato, Alessandro; Santacroce, Criselda; Catalano, Piera; Notarstefano, Valentina; Carnevali, Oliana; Papa, Fabrizio; Ciro Antonio Rongioletti, Mauro; Baiocco, Federico; Draghi, Simonetta; D’Amore, Elisabetta; Rinaldo, Denise; Matta, Maria; Giorgini, Elisabetta. - In: ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL. - ISSN 0160-4120. - ELETTRONICO. - 146:(2021). [10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274]

Plasticenta: first evidence of microplastics in human placenta

Valentina Notarstefano;Oliana Carnevali;Elisabetta Giorgini
Ultimo
2021-01-01

Abstract

Microplastics are particles smaller than five millimeters deriving from the degradation of plastic objects present in the environment. Microplastics can move from the environment to living organisms, including mammals. In this study, six human placentas, collected from consenting women with physiological pregnancies, were analyzed by Raman Microspectroscopy to evaluate the presence of microplastics. In total, 12 microplastic fragments (ranging from 5 to 10 μm in size), with spheric or irregular shape were found in 4 placentas (5 in the fetal side, 4 in the maternal side and 3 in the chorioamniotic membranes); all microplastics particles were characterized in terms of morphology and chemical composition. All of them were pigmented; three were identified as stained polypropylene a thermoplastic polymer, while for the other nine it was possible to identify only the pigments, which were all used for man-made coatings, paints, adhesives, plasters, finger paints, polymers and cosmetics and personal care products.
2021
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
111_ENV INT 146 (2021) 106274.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza d'uso: Creative commons
Dimensione 4.19 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
4.19 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11566/286406
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 242
  • Scopus 1173
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 993
social impact