背景:微塑料(MP)污染已成为世界范围内的重要环境问题。虽然广泛的研究集中在它们在海洋生物和生态系统中的存在,它们对人类健康的潜在影响,特别是在循环系统上,仍未研究。该项目旨在识别和量化质量浓度,聚合物类型,从三个解剖学上不同的部位通过手术从动脉和静脉系统中提取的人血栓中的MPs的物理性质,即,大脑中的脑动脉,心脏的冠状动脉,下肢深静脉.此外,本研究旨在探讨MPs水平与疾病严重程度之间的潜在关联.
方法:收集30例因缺血性卒中(IS)而接受血栓切除手术的患者的血栓样本,心肌梗死(MI),或深静脉血栓形成(DVT)。采用热解-气相色谱质谱(Py-GC/MS)来鉴定和定量MP的质量浓度。激光直接红外(LDIR)光谱和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)用于分析MPs的物理性质。还检查了人口统计学和临床信息。使用严格的质量控制体系来消除潜在的环境污染。
结果:通过Py-GC/MS在80%(24/30)的IS患者血栓中检测到MPs,MI,或者DVT,中值浓度为61.75μg/g,141.80μg/g,和69.62μg/g,分别。在MP聚合物的10种目标类型中,聚酰胺66(PA66),聚氯乙烯(PVC),和聚乙烯(PE)被鉴定。进一步的分析表明,较高的MP浓度可能与疾病严重程度有关(调整后的β=7.72,95%CI:2.01-13.43,p<0.05)。MP检测组D-二聚体水平明显高于MP未检测组(8.3±1.5μg/Lvs6.6±0.5μg/L,p<0.001)。此外,LDIR分析表明,PE在15种确定的MP中占主导地位,占所有议员的53.6%,平均直径为35.6μm。发现使用LDIR和SEM检测的聚合物的形状是异质的。
结论:本研究提供了MPs存在的定性和定量证据,和它们的质量浓度,聚合物类型,以及通过使用多模态检测方法在血栓性疾病中的物理性质。较高浓度的MP可能与疾病严重程度增加有关。迫切需要更大样本量的未来研究来确定暴露源并验证研究中观察到的趋势。
背景:这项研究由SUMC科学研究启动资助(SRIG,不。009-510858038),博士后研究启动补助金(编号:202205230031-3),和2020年李嘉诚基金会跨学科研究资助(编号:2020LKSFG02C)。
BACKGROUND: Microplastic (MP) pollution has emerged as a significant environmental concern worldwide. While extensive research has focused on their presence in marine organisms and ecosystems, their potential impact on human health, particularly on the circulatory system, remains understudied. This project aimed to identify and quantify the mass concentrations, polymer types, and physical properties of MPs in human thrombi surgically retrieved from both arterial and venous systems at three anatomically distinct sites, namely, cerebral arteries in the brain, coronary arteries in the heart, and deep veins in the lower extremities. Furthermore, this study aimed to investigate the potential association between the levels of MPs and disease severity.
METHODS: Thrombus samples were collected from 30 patients who underwent thrombectomy procedures due to ischaemic stroke (IS), myocardial infarction (MI), or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was employed to identify and quantify the mass concentrations of the MPs. Laser direct infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to analyse the physical properties of the MPs. Demographic and clinical information were also examined. A rigorous quality control system was used to eliminate potential environmental contamination.
RESULTS: MPs were detected by Py-GC/MS in 80% (24/30) of the thrombi obtained from patients with IS, MI, or DVT, with median concentrations of 61.75 μg/g, 141.80 μg/g, and 69.62 μg/g, respectively. Among the 10 target types of MP polymers, polyamide 66 (PA66), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene (PE) were identified. Further analyses suggested that higher concentrations of MPs may be associated with greater disease severity (adjusted β = 7.72, 95% CI: 2.01-13.43, p < 0.05). The level of D-dimer in the MP-detected group was significantly higher than that in the MP-undetected group (8.3 ± 1.5 μg/L vs 6.6 ± 0.5 μg/L, p < 0.001). Additionally, LDIR analysis showed that PE was dominant among the 15 types of identified MPs, accounting for 53.6% of all MPs, with a mean diameter of 35.6 μm. The shapes of the polymers detected using LDIR and SEM were found to be heterogeneous.
CONCLUSIONS: This study presents both qualitative and quantitative evidence of the presence of MPs, and their mass concentrations, polymer types, and physical properties in thrombotic diseases through the use of multimodal detection methods. Higher concentrations of MPs may be associated with increased disease severity. Future research with a larger sample size is urgently needed to identify the sources of exposure and validate the observed trends in the study.
BACKGROUND: This study was funded by the SUMC Scientific Research Initiation Grant (SRIG, No. 009-510858038), Postdoctoral Research Initiation Grant (No. 202205230031-3), and the 2020 Li Ka Shing Foundation Cross-Disciplinary Research Grant (No. 2020LKSFG02C).