Deciphering the Links: Fragmented Polystyrene as a Driver of Skin Inflammation

Recent studies have identified the pervasive presence of nano- and microplastics (NMP) in atmospheric air, leading to inevitable human exposure. Human skin, with an extensive surface area of 1.5-2 m², is constantly exposed to airborne NMP, yet the dermal implications of such exposure remain elusive. Our investigation employed fragmented polystyrene (fPS), a plastic commonly found in the air, to evaluate dermal penetration using various skin models. We utilized pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS) to quantify fPS that had penetrated the skin model. Furthermore, we examined the biological alterations in skin keratinocytes consequent to fPS exposure and analyzed the regulation of inflammatory response markers. Our findings reveal deleterious effects on skin keratinocytes, underlining the potential risks posed by short-term fPS exposure. This multifaceted skin model study offers new perspectives on the toxicological impacts of NMP. To investigate the effects of fPS exposure on skin keratinocytes, we established HaCaT cells, a human-derived keratinocyte cell line.