Raman Microspectroscopy Detection and Characterisation of Microplastics in Human Breastmilk

Antonio Ragusa, Valentina Notarstefano, Alessandro Svelato, Alessia Belloni, Giorgia Gioacchini, Christine Blondeel, Emma Zucchelli, Caterina De Luca, Sara D'Avino, Alessandra Gulotta, Oliana Carnevali, Elisabetta Giorgini, Antonio Ragusa, Valentina Notarstefano, Alessandro Svelato, Alessia Belloni, Giorgia Gioacchini, Christine Blondeel, Emma Zucchelli, Caterina De Luca, Sara D'Avino, Alessandra Gulotta, Oliana Carnevali, Elisabetta Giorgini

Abstract

The widespread use of plastics determines the inevitable human exposure to its by-products, including microplastics (MPs), which enter the human organism mainly by ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Once internalised, MPs may pass across cell membranes and translocate to different body sites, triggering specific cellular mechanisms. Hence, the potential health impairment caused by the internalisation and accumulation of MPs is of prime concern, as confirmed by numerous studies reporting evident toxic effects in various animal models, marine organisms, and human cell lines. In this pilot single-centre observational prospective study, human breastmilk samples collected from N. 34 women were analysed by Raman Microspectroscopy, and, for the first time, MP contamination was found in 26 out of 34 samples. The detected microparticles were classified according to their shape, colour, dimensions, and chemical composition. The most abundant MPs were composed of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene, with sizes ranging from 2 to 12 µm. MP data were statistically analysed in relation to specific patients' data (age, use of personal care products containing plastic compounds, and consumption of fish/shellfish, beverages, and food in plastic packaging), but no significant relationship was found, suggesting that the ubiquitous MP presence makes human exposure inevitable.

Keywords: Raman microspectroscopy; human breastmilk; infants’ nutrition; microplastics.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Microphotographs and Raman spectra (wavenumbers, cm−1) of some selected MPs found in the analysed breastmilk samples. PE: polyethylene; PVC: polyvinyl chloride; PP: polypropylene; PVOH: polyvinyl alcohol; PEVA: poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate); PEMA: poly(ethyl methacrylate); PES: polyester, and PC: polycarbonate.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage abundances of identified shapes (A), colours (B), dimensions (C), and polymer matrices (D). PE: polyethylene; PVC: polyvinyl chloride; PP: polypropylene; CPE: chlorinated polyethylene; PVOH: polyvinyl alcohol; PEVA: poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate); PEMA: poly(ethyl methacrylate); ABS: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; PES: polyester; PA: polyamide; PC: polycarbonate; PS: polystyrene, and NC: nitrocellulose.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentage abundances of samples with (MPs) and without (no MPs) microplastics, divided according to the following selected parameters: (A) age of patient; (B) consumption of fish/shellfish in the 7 days prior to the expected date of delivery and 7 days after; (C) use of personal care products with plastic compounds in the 7 days prior to the expected date of delivery and 7 days after; (D) consumption of beverages in plastic bottles in the 7 days prior to the expected date of delivery and 7 days after, and (E) consumption of food in plastic packaging in the 7 days prior to the expected date of delivery and 7 days after. Number of identified microplastics divided according to the above-defined parameters (F–J) (box charts: centre line marks the median, edges indicate the 5th and 95th percentiles, and whiskers indicate the minimum and maximum values).

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