Engineered PS and PAN Microplastic Fibers Elicit Stronger A549 Epithelial Responses than Spherical Polystyrene Particles

Sewoon Kim; David M. Cwiertny; Dongkeun Lee; Jong Sung Kim; Jon A. Doering; Qinglin Wu

doi:10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6c00243

Back

Engineered PS and PAN Microplastic Fibers Elicit Stronger A549 Epithelial Responses than Spherical Polystyrene Particles

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Engineered PS and PAN Microplastic Fibers Elicit Stronger A549 Epithelial Responses than Spherical Polystyrene Particles

Sewoon Kim, David M. Cwiertny, Dongkeun Lee, Jong Sung Kim, Jon A. Doering and Qinglin Wu

Chemical research in toxicology, Vol.39(8), pp.1609-1616

08/05/2026

DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6c00243

PMID: 42606286

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6c00243View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Polymeric fibers are a prevalent form of airborne micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), yet their inhalation hazards remain poorly constrained because toxicological studies have largely relied on spherical particles or heterogeneous fiber materials. Here, polystyrene (PS) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber MNPs were fabricated by electrospinning followed by cryomilling, probe sonication, and filtration, yielding discrete fibers with comparable diameters and lengths. FTIR confirmed preservation of polymer identity and showed no detectable residual solvent signal in the isolated fibers. Using A549 lung epithelial cells as an inhalation-relevant in vitro model, we found that PS and PAN fiber MNPs induced dose-dependent reductions in viability together with increased membrane damage, oxidative stress, and IL-8 release, whereas spherical PS particles elicited comparatively limited responses at the tested mass concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy further showed abnormal cell–fiber interactions, including membrane deformation and apparent partial membrane wrapping around fibers, consistent with morphology-dependent cellular injury. Together, these results show that engineered polymeric fiber MNPs elicit stronger epithelial stress and inflammatory responses than spherical particle controls under the tested conditions, supporting morphology-aware evaluation of airborne MNP hazards.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Engineered PS and PAN Microplastic Fibers Elicit Stronger A549 Epithelial Responses than Spherical Polystyrene Particles
Creators: Sewoon Kim - Louisiana State University System
David M. Cwiertny - University of Iowa
Dongkeun Lee - University of Iowa
Jong Sung Kim - University of Iowa
Jon A. Doering - Louisiana State University System
Qinglin Wu - Renewable Energy Systems (United States)
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Chemical research in toxicology, Vol.39(8), pp.1609-1616
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6c00243
PMID: 42606286
NLM abbreviation: Chem Res Toxicol
ISSN: 0893-228X
eISSN: 1520-5010
Publisher: American Chemical Society
Language: English
Date published: 08/05/2026
Academic Unit: Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; Chemistry; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Record Identifier: 9985218636102771

Metrics

1 Record Views