Female exposure to microplastics in the atmospheric environment: Endocrine disrupting toxicity and its risk...

Microplastics (MPs) are present in the atmosphere and may lead to female endocrine-disrupting toxicity (F-EDT) after entering human bodies through inhalation. However, research on the F-EDT of human exposure to MPs remains infancy. Therefore, the F-EDT of six common atmospheric MPs was quantified, and a priority control list for MPs and their additives was compiled using statistical and computational chemistry techniques. Results showed that PA-MPs/PET-MPs and bisphenol-based antioxidants contribute to F-EDT, with a risk probability difference of up to 59.81 % between the lowest and highest risk components. Thus, Bisphenol A and Bisphenol E were selected for molecular modification, and an environmentally friendly substitute (D35) was screened, with a reduced risk of 37.57 %. Finally, the F-EDT mitigation mechanisms of MPs were also analyzed, indicating the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups in MPs may be a primary reason for the variations in F-EDT. Hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions are the dominant modes of cell membrane adsorption for MPs or additives, with the competitive adsorption of lubricants on bisphenol-based antioxidants being one of the main reasons for mitigating F-EDT induced by MPs. This study aims to tackle the challenges of understanding the patterns and underlying mechanisms for the F-EDT of MPs and additives.