PhD defence Irene Frederique Gosselink

Keywords: Microplastics, Inhalation toxicology, In vitro research, Inflammation

"It’s in the air: Toxicological Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics on the Human Airways and Lungs An in vitro approach"

Plastics can break down into tiny particles, micro- and nanoplastics, which are present in the air. The effects of inhaling these particles on the human lungs are highly unknown. Micro- and nanoplastics can derive from different sources and present diverse particle characteristics. Still, current research is often performed with spherical plastic beads combined with exposure methods that are not accurately reflecting real-life human exposure. Therefore, this thesis investigated the effects of micro- and nanoplastics of varying size, chemical composition and shape on human lung cells, using diverse in vitro exposure methods. Results demonstrated that microplastics toxicity is dependent on chemical composition, size and dose of the particles. Nanoplastics, especially nylon, introduced more toxic effects to lung cells than bigger microplastics. Depending on the exposure method, nylon nanoplastics induced inflammation, cell death, or disturbed gene expression important for normal cellular functions, including mucus production and tight barrier formation This study was performed within the MOMENTUM consortium, a Dutch collaboration between universities, research institutes, policy makers, and industry. 

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