Determination of plastic polyester oligomers in real samples and their bioeffects
Sara Di Lonardo,
Dimitra Diamantidou,
Aikaterini‐Theodora Chatzitaki,
Dimitris Fatouros,
Georgios Theodoridis
Affiliations
Sara Di Lonardo
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems‐National Research Council (IRET‐CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Fi), Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) Piazza Marina 61 90133 Palermo Italy
Dimitra Diamantidou
Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Biomic_AUTh, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI‐AUTH), Balkan Center, B1.4, Thessaloniki, 10th km Thessaloniki‐Thermi Rd P.O. Box 8318 57001 Thermi Greece
Aikaterini‐Theodora Chatzitaki
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki 54124 Greece
Dimitris Fatouros
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki 54124 Greece
Georgios Theodoridis
Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Biomic_AUTh, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI‐AUTH), Balkan Center, B1.4, Thessaloniki, 10th km Thessaloniki‐Thermi Rd P.O. Box 8318 57001 Thermi Greece
Abstract Plastics are ubiquitously, becoming part of our everyday life. Recently, the issue of human exposure to micro‐ and nanoplastic particles and potentially resulting toxicological consequences has been broached, triggered by the discovery of microplastics in foodstuff and dietary exposure via contaminated food and beverages. Within this EU‐FORA fellowship project, a determination and quantification of plastic polyester plastics oligomers in food samples was performed to assess exposure at these categories of ‘nanoplastics’, evaluating them as potential contaminants or as indicators and marker compounds of the exposure to specific nanoplastics/microplastics from polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). UHPLC‐TOF–MS/MS analysis has been set‐up for 10 PET and PBT oligomers and analysis has been performed in foods and drinks. Moreover, the project focused also on the effects of these oligomers in in vitro and ex vivo experiments. These data would be combined with EFSA Comprehensive Food Consumption Database, for the exposure and risk assessment of these ‘Nanoplastics’.
