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[Preprint]. 2024 May 6:rs.3.rs-4345687.
doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4345687/v1.

Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Decedent Human Brains Assessed by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Matthew Campen  1 , Alexander Nihart  1 , Marcus Garcia  1 , Rui Liu  1 , Marian Olewine  1 , Eliseo Castillo  1 , Barry Bleske  1 , Justin Scott  2 , Tamara Howard  3 , Jorge Gonzalez-Estrella  2 , Natalie Adolphi  4 , Daniel Gallego  4 , Eliane El Hayek  1
Affiliations

Bioaccumulation of Microplastics in Decedent Human Brains Assessed by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Matthew Campen et al. Res Sq. .

Update in

  • Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains.
    Nihart AJ, Garcia MA, El Hayek E, Liu R, Olewine M, Kingston JD, Castillo EF, Gullapalli RR, Howard T, Bleske B, Scott J, Gonzalez-Estrella J, Gross JM, Spilde M, Adolphi NL, Gallego DF, Jarrell HS, Dvorscak G, Zuluaga-Ruiz ME, West AB, Campen MJ. Nihart AJ, et al. Nat Med. 2025 Apr;31(4):1114-1119. doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-03453-1. Epub 2025 Feb 3. Nat Med. 2025. PMID: 39901044 Free PMC article.

Abstract

Rising global concentrations of environmental micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) drive concerns for human exposure and health outcomes. Applying pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) methods to isolate and quantify MNPs from human samples, we compared MNP accumulation in kidneys, livers, and brains. Autopsy samples from the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, NM, collected in 2016 and in 2024, were digested for Py-GC/MS analysis of 12 polymers. Brains exhibited higher concentrations of MNPs than liver or kidney samples. All organs exhibited significant increases from 2016 to 2024. Polyethylene was the predominant polymer; the relative proportion of polyethylene MNPs was greater in brain samples than in liver or kidney. Transmission electron microscopy verified the nanoscale nature of isolated particles, which largely appeared to be aged, shard-like plastics remnants across a wide range of sizes. Results demonstrate that MNPs are selectively accumulated into the human brain and concentrations are rising over time.

Keywords: Polymer; autopsy; kidney; liver; nanoplastics; neuronal.

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Conflict of interest statement

Statement of Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest with the content of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overview of total MNP concentrations from all decedent samples from liver, kidney, and brain. A. All data shown, with the bar representing arithmetic mean value and the standard deviation. Orange colored symbols in the 2016 brain samples were analyzed independently at Oklahoma State University. Asterisks indicate significant differences temporal changes (from 2016 to 2024) using a nonparametric t-test (Mann Whitney). Brain concentrations were also significantly higher than liver and kidney, by ANOVA. B. Using only polyethylene data, similar trends were noted, although the kidney concentrations did not increase in the 2024 samples. C. Overall distribution of 12 different polymers suggests a greater accumulation of polyethylene in the brain relative to liver or kidney. Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Nylon 66 (N66), Styrene-butadiene (SBR), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Nylon 6 (N6), Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), Polyurethane (PU), Polycarbonate (PC), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS). D. Distribution trends for PE across each organ and collection date, including 5 additional samples (on the right) from the 2016 brain collections that were analysed by Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Example TEM images of solid nanoparticulates derived from kidney (left), liver (center), and brain (right) samples. While TEM does not permit spectroscopic identification of particulate molecular composition, the bulk of particulates that were predominantly polymer as assessed by ATR-FTIR appear to be of these sizes and shapes. Shard-like appearances, with dimensions ranging from micrometer to nanometer sizes, suggest an aged, friable polymer composition.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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