The Actionable eUropean ROadmap for early-life health Risk Assessment of micro- and nanoplastics (AURORA) Household Plastics Study

The scale of micro- and nano- plastic (MNP) pollution is becoming increasingly
clear, yet little is known about human exposures and ultimately human health
outcomes. Microplastics are plastics with length of 5mm or less, and
nanoplastics are plastics particles smaller that 100µm. This study is part of
the EU-funded H2020 AURORA project and will contribute to an actionable
European roadmap for early-life health risk assessment of MNPs to support
regulation of MNPs and the products and processes that generate secondary MNPs,
and development of safer alternatives. Overall, the AURORA project will focus
on the toxicological and health effects of MNP exposures in pregnant women as
well as their offspring in foetal life and (early) childhood, because these
periods are critical for development and health later in life and are thus
periods of heightened vulnerability to environmental insults. It has been
recently shown that MNPs are present in blood (Leslie et al., 2022) and have
the potential to cross the placental barrier, underlying the urgent need to
understand the impact of MNPs on reproductive and early-life health (Braun et
al., 2021; Grafmueller et al., 2015).

There is clear evidence that plastic chemicals migrate from food contact
articles into food and translocate via the gastrointestinal tract into the body
(Muncke et al., 2020). Although the adverse health effects of specific
plastic-associated chemicals are increasingly being documented, the impacts of
MNPs (i.e., particles and fibers) remain uncertain. MNP exposure via the diet
is considered as one of the main exposure pathways and warrants further
investigation (Wright & Kelly, 2017). In previous studies, MNPs have been
detected in food and beverages including bottled water, honey, milk, fruits,
vegetables, sugar, and sea salt (Diaz-Basantes et al., 2020; Oliveri Conti et
al., 2020; Toussaint et al., 2019). Furthermore, microplastics have been
detected in the faeces of adults and meconium of newborns, demonstrating that
MNPs are in fact ingested at detectable levels (Braun et al., 2021; Schwabl et
al., 2019). Therefore, it is very relevant to understand exposures from food
packaging. Little is known about internal levels of MNPs, making this research
novel.

Another significant exposure pathway to MNPs is inhalation (Ageel et al.,
2021). High levels of indoor microplastic fallout from gradual degradation of
household products, including textiles and clothing, makes inhalation a
significant MNP exposure route (Catarino et al., 2018). For this reason,
household dust will be collected, and determinants of levels of MNPs in
household dust, and correlations between levels of MNPs in household dust and
internal levels of MNPs will be investigated.

We will recruit volunteers for this study in collaboration with Utrecht
University. Since this is a novel research area, we will gain valuable insights
by looking at this population. Given the current limited understanding of MNP
exposures, this study will contribute valuable insights about the sources of
MNPs contributing most to human exposure. This study aims to investigate the
relative contribution of determinants of MNP and plastic-associated chemical
body burdens, including indoor sources, food packaging and preparation methods.

Primary Objective:
1) To assess determinants of circulating MNP levels in Dutch females of
reproductive age, including the relative contribution of indoor sources, food
packaging and preparation methods to MNP and plastic-associated chemical body
burdens.

Secondary Objectives:
1) To describe plastic usage frequency and patterns in Dutch females of
reproductive age
2) To measure house dust levels of MNPs and evaluate if correlated with
circulating MNP levels in blood and excreted MNP levels in urine.

We will perform an observational study among 100 females of reproductive age.
We will include female volunteers of reproductive age (18 - 45 years) who
reside within 70 km of Utrecht. After recruitment and providing informed
consent, the participants (100 females) will be asked to fill out out a
questionnaire describing factors which may contribute to their plastic exposure
(including household characteristics, food packaging, etc.) and potential
covariates. A venous blood, morning void urine sample, and evening urine
sample will be collected at baseline and after three months (i.e., the
completion of the study). Participants will be provided with a glass petri dish
to set at home for a 30-day passive dust sample collection at baseline and
again after three months.

Burden: All participants will fill in a survey at baseline and a follow up
questionnaire after three months. There will be two blood samples drawn and two
urine samples collection. There is limited burden associated with providing
blood and urine samples.
Risks: There are negligible risks for participants.
Benefit: The study has no direct benefit to the participants. The study will
deliver relevant insight into the body burden of MNPs. This will, in turn,
contribute to future risk assessment of MNPs.