Synthesis of 14C-labelled polystyrene nanoplastics for environmental studies
Synthesis of 14C-labelled polystyrene nanoplastics for environmental studies
复制标题
DOI：
10.1038/s43246-020-00097-9
复制
发表时间：
2020-12-04
影响因子：
7.8
通讯作者：
Thompson, Richard C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Al-Sid-Cheikh, Maya;Rowland, Steven J.;Thompson, Richard C.
现有的分析方法无法检测生物组织等复杂基质中符合环境要求的纳米塑料浓度。在这里，我们描述了一步聚合方法，允许直接放射性标记末端封端的磺酸盐纳米聚苯乙烯(NPS；建议作为代表带负电荷的纳米塑料的模型纳米塑料颗粒)。这种在模拟环境中可追踪的纳米塑料已经被用来研究纳米塑料在双壳类软体动物体内的行为，该方法被开发、优化并成功地应用于合成不同尺寸的C-14标记的NPS。除了对合成方法的描述外，我们还描述了由放射性标记方法提供的从复杂基质中定量、质量平衡和回收标记粒子的细节。这里描述的放射性标记方法，再加上使用高灵敏度的放射自显影方法来监测纳米塑料的体内负荷和分布，可能为研究负电荷纳米塑料在低预测环境浓度下遵循的环境路径提供了一个有价值的程序。使用非常常见的引发剂合成的这里制造的合成NPS的行为是否代表在环境中发现的制造的NPS的行为，还有待观察。纳米塑料是一个重大的环境风险，了解它们在哪里以及如何释放到环境中是很重要的。本文报道了一种简单的一步合成放射性标记纳米聚苯乙烯的方法，可用于环境研究。
Available analytical methods cannot detect nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations in complex matrices such as biological tissues. Here, we describe a one-step polymerization method, allowing direct radiolabeling of a sulfonate end-capped nano-sized polystyrene (nPS; proposed as a model nanoplastic particle representing negatively charged nanoplastics). The method, which produces nanoplastics trackable in simulated environmental settings which have already been used to investigate the behavior of a nanoplastic in vivo in a bivalve mollusc, was developed, optimized and successfully applied to synthesis of C-14-labeled nPS of different sizes. In addition to a description of the method of synthesis, we describe the details for quantification, mass balance and recovery of the labelled particles from complex matrices offered by the radiolabelling approach. The radiolabeling approach described here, coupled to use of a highly sensitive autoradiographic method for monitoring nanoplastic body burden and distributions, may provide a valuable procedure for investigating the environmental pathways followed by negatively charged nanoplastics at low predicted environmental concentrations. Whether the behaviour of the synthetic nPS manufactured here, synthesised using a very common inititator, represents that of manufactured nPS found in the environment, remains to be seen. Nanoplastics are a substantial environmental risk, and it is important to understanding where and how they are released into the environment. Here, a simple methodology is reported for the one-step synthesis of radiolabelled nanopolystyrene that can be used in environmental studies.