Plastic pollution is a globally recognized environmental issue. A large volume of plastic waste is incorrectly littered and pollutes the environment, especially marine ones. Weathering action causes the degradation of plastic waste that is fragmented and releases harmful chemicals. Plastic fragments that reach the micrometric dimensions are called microplastics. Microplastics, thanks to their small dimensions, are rapidly dispersed and are particularly dangerous due to their pervasiveness. Microplastics are rapidly absorbed by the vegetation and animals entering the food chain reaching humans. The effect of microplastics on human beings has not been thoroughly studied yet. This thesis work proposes a methodology for the isolation and the characterization of microplastics down to 10 μm in diameter in biological samples of animal origin. Retrieved microplastics are characterized in term of chemical composition and dimension, dimensional distribution of retrieved microplastics is also obtained. Characterization of the composing material is performed by Raman spectroscopy; count and sizing are investigated through FIJI, an open-source image elaboration software. This thesis work is the first step of a ministerial project named: “EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTICS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM (ImmuPlastics): from the bedside to the bench, and back” intended to study the effects of microplastics on the immune system of the human being.
L’inquinamento dovuto alla plastica è un problema ambientale riconosciuto globalmente. Una grande quantità di rifiuti plastici viene smaltita scorrettamente e va quindi ad inquinare l’ambiente, specialmente quello marino. L’azione degli agenti atmosferici provoca la degradazione della componente plastica libera, che viene frammentata e libera componenti chimici dannosi. Raggiunte le dimensioni micrometriche, i frammenti generati dalla degradazione prendono il nome di microplastiche. Le microplastiche, per via delle loro ridotte dimensioni, vengono disperse molto velocemente e sono dunque particolarmente pericolose per via della loro pervasività; le microplastiche vengono rapidamente assorbite dalla vegetazione e dagli animali, entrando nella catena alimentare raggiungendo l’uomo. L’effetto delle microplastiche sul corpo umano non è ancora stato accuratamente esaminato. Questo lavoro di tesi propone una metodologia per l’isolamento e la caratterizzazione delle microplastiche fino alle dimensioni di 10 micrometri di diametro all’interno di campioni biologici di provenienza animale. Le microplastiche ritrovate vengono contate e vengono caratterizzate attraverso il riconoscimento del materiale costitutivo e la dimensione; viene anche descritta la distribuzione dimensionale delle microplastiche ritrovate. Il riconoscimento del materiale costitutivo è effettuato utilizzando la spettroscopia Raman; la conta e le dimensioni delle particelle vengono indagate elaborando immagini al microscopio attraverso FIJI, un software open-source per l’elaborazione di immagini. Questo lavoro di tesi è da intendersi come il primo passaggio di un progetto ministeriale denominato :” EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTICS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM (ImmuPlastics): from the bedside to the bench, and back” inteso a studiare gli effetti delle microplastiche sul sistema immunitario del corpo umano.
Detection and characterization by microRaman spectroscopy of microplastics in biological tissues
Nebbia, Giulio
2022/2023
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a globally recognized environmental issue. A large volume of plastic waste is incorrectly littered and pollutes the environment, especially marine ones. Weathering action causes the degradation of plastic waste that is fragmented and releases harmful chemicals. Plastic fragments that reach the micrometric dimensions are called microplastics. Microplastics, thanks to their small dimensions, are rapidly dispersed and are particularly dangerous due to their pervasiveness. Microplastics are rapidly absorbed by the vegetation and animals entering the food chain reaching humans. The effect of microplastics on human beings has not been thoroughly studied yet. This thesis work proposes a methodology for the isolation and the characterization of microplastics down to 10 μm in diameter in biological samples of animal origin. Retrieved microplastics are characterized in term of chemical composition and dimension, dimensional distribution of retrieved microplastics is also obtained. Characterization of the composing material is performed by Raman spectroscopy; count and sizing are investigated through FIJI, an open-source image elaboration software. This thesis work is the first step of a ministerial project named: “EFFECTS OF MICROPLASTICS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM (ImmuPlastics): from the bedside to the bench, and back” intended to study the effects of microplastics on the immune system of the human being.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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2024_04_Nebbia_Giulio_Thesis.pdf
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2024_04_Nebbia_Giulio_Executive_Summary.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/218843