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Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis

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Uncovering the Hidden Risks: How PLA and PLGA Microplastics Disrupt Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Health.

Bei Gao¹, Lixia Chen², Weichen Xu³

¹Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, and School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.

Chemical Research in Toxicology

|June 9, 2026

Summary

Biodegradable plastics like polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microplastics disrupt gut microbiota and host metabolism. PLA caused more significant changes in gut bacteria and fungi, while PLGA impacted metabolic pathways and serum metabolites more profoundly.

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Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Toxicology
Microbiology

Background:

Biodegradable plastics are promoted as sustainable alternatives but can degrade into microplastics, posing health risks.
Polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) are common biodegradable polymers.
The health impacts of PLGA microplastics are less understood compared to PLA.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the distinct and shared biological effects of PLA and PLGA microplastics on the gut microbiome and host metabolism.
To compare the impacts of PLA and PLGA microplastics on gut bacteria, fungi, virulence factors, and metabolic pathways in feces, serum, and liver tissue.

Main Methods:

Metagenomic sequencing was used to analyze microbial community composition.
Untargeted metabolomic profiling was employed to assess changes in metabolites.
Feces, serum, and liver tissue from exposed subjects were analyzed.

Main Results:

Both PLA and PLGA microplastics disrupted gut microbiota and host metabolic homeostasis.
PLA exposure led to more pronounced alterations in gut bacteria, fungi, virulence factors, and fecal/hepatic metabolites.
PLGA exposure more significantly affected microbial metabolic pathways and serum metabolites.
Common alterations included enrichment of hepatic pathways for amino acid biosynthesis and one-carbon metabolism.
Material-specific effects were observed, such as PLA affecting UMP biosynthesis and PLGA affecting fatty acid biosynthesis.

Conclusions:

Biodegradable microplastics, including PLA and PLGA, pose significant health risks by disrupting gut microbiota and host metabolism.
PLA and PLGA microplastics exhibit distinct toxicological profiles, necessitating further research for comprehensive risk assessment.
Understanding these differences is crucial for evaluating the long-term safety of biodegradable plastics.