Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have made significant inroads in understanding how nanoplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — commonly known as forever chemicals — disrupt biomolecular structure and function.
Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have made significant inroads in understanding how nanoplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — commonly known as forever chemicals — disrupt biomolecular structure and function. The work shows that the compounds can alter proteins found in human breast milk and infant formulas — potentially causing developmental issues downstream.
Nanoplastics and forever chemicals are manmade compounds present throughout the environment; a series of recent studies have linked them to numerous negative health outcomes. While nanoplastics originate primarily as a result of the degradation of larger plastic materials, like water bottles and food packaging, forever chemicals are found in various products like cookware and clothing.
The UTEP research team focused on the compounds’ impact on three proteins critical to human development and function: beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin and myoglobin. Their findings, which provide an atomic-level insight into the detrimental effects of nanoplastics and PFAS on human health, are described in two recent articles in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
“By understanding the molecular mechanisms of how nanoplastics and forever chemicals disrupt cellular functions, scientists can develop safer alternatives to these materials,” said Mahesh Narayan, Ph.D., a professor, fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and chief of the Division of Biochemistry in UTEP’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who oversaw the two studies. “The insights gained from this research have far-reaching implications.”
Read more at University of Texas at El Paso
Image: Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have made significant inroads in understanding how nanoplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — commonly known as forever chemicals — disrupt biomolecular structure and function. Their findings are described in two recent articles in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. The research team includes (top row, L-R): Mahesh Narayan, Ph.D., professor and chief of the Division of Biochemistry in UTEP’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Randhal Ramirez Orozco, doctoral student of computational science; Sophia Borrego, sophomore biomedical sciences major; Samantha Arce, sophomore biomedical sciences major; Daisy Wilson, doctoral student of environmental science and engineering; (bottom row, L-R) Ummy Habiba Sweety, doctoral student of environmental science and engineering; and Jyotish Kumar, doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Lela Vukovic, Ph.D. (not pictured), associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was also involved in the research. (Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso)
