Microplastics in the surgical environment

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Occupational Health
• Materials Science

Background:

• Atmospheric microplastics (MPs) are prevalent in indoor and outdoor environments, with higher concentrations often found in areas of significant human activity.
• The presence and characteristics of MPs within critical healthcare settings like operating theatres remain largely unquantified.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify and characterize microplastics (MPs) in a surgical environment over a one-week period.
• To determine MP levels in operating theatres and adjoining anaesthetic rooms during and outside working hours.

Main Methods:

• MPs were collected using samplers in an operating theatre and anaesthetic room at 12-hour intervals.
• Particles were filtered and analyzed using micro-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to identify polymer types and morphology.
• Sampling occurred over a one-week period, differentiating between working and non-working hours.

Main Results:

• Mean MP levels were higher in the operating theatre (1,924 ± 3,105 MP m⁻² day⁻¹) compared to the anaesthetic room (541 ± 969 MP m⁻² day⁻¹).
• MP concentrations increased as particle size decreased.
• Fragment-shaped MPs (78%) predominated, with polyethylene terephthalate (37%), polypropylene (25%), and nylon (13%) as the most abundant polymer types.
• No MPs were detected in the theatre during non-working hours.

Conclusions:

• The surgical environment, particularly during active procedures, harbors significant levels of atmospheric microplastics.
• Understanding the types and sizes of MPs present is crucial for assessing potential health risks and informing future mitigation strategies.
• Surgery may represent a novel exposure route for microplastic contaminants in humans.