Chemical multi-fingerprinting of exogenous ultrafine particles in human serum and pleural effusion

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 2567 - 8
• Main Authors: Lu, Dawei, Luo, Qian, Chen, Rui, Zhuansun, Yongxun, Jiang, Jie, Wang, Weichao, Yang, Xuezhi, Zhang, Luyao, Liu, Xiaolei, Li, Fang, Liu, Qian, Jiang, Guibin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 22.05.2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/58; 147/137; 639/925/928; 639/925/930/12; 704/172; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Chemical speciation; Circulatory system; Epidemiology; Female; Fingerprinting; Fingerprints; Global health; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Iron - analysis; Lung Diseases - blood; Lung Diseases - pathology; Male; Metals - analysis; Mice; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Middle Aged; Morphology; multidisciplinary; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - analysis; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Particle Size; Particulate emissions; Particulate matter; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate Matter - blood; Particulate Matter - chemistry; Particulate Matter - toxicity; Pleural effusion; Pleural Effusion - pathology; RAW 264.7 Cells; Respiratory diseases; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Species; Species diversity; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; Translocation; Ultrafines
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16427-x
• ISSN: 2041-1723

Ambient particulate matter pollution is one of the leading causes of global disease burden. Epidemiological studies have revealed the connections between particulate exposure and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, until now, the real species of ambient ultrafine particles (UFPs) in humans are still scarcely known. Here we report the discovery and characterization of exogenous nanoparticles (NPs) in human serum and pleural effusion (PE) samples collected from non-occupational subjects in a typical polluted region. We show the wide presence of NPs in human serum and PE samples with extreme diversity in chemical species, concentration, and morphology. Through chemical multi-fingerprinting (including elemental fingerprints, high-resolution structural fingerprints, and stable iron isotopic fingerprints) of NPs, we identify the sources of the NPs to be abiogenic, particularly, combustion-derived particulate emission. Our results provide evidence for the translocation of ambient UFPs into the human circulatory system, and also provide information for understanding their systemic health effects. Exposure to ambient particulate matter is one of the leading global health risks. Here, the authors reveal, by means of chemical multi-fingerprinting, the presence of exogenous ultrafine particles with diverse species and morphology in non-occupational human serum and pleural effusion.