Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot Study

The plastic manufacturing industry has a crucial role in the global economy with a significant impact in a wide range of fields. The chemical risk to which workers are potentially exposed is difficult to characterize and strictly related to both the products and processes adopted. Among the chemical...

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Main Authors: Michele De Rosa, Ottavia Giampaoli, Adriano Patriarca, Federico Marini, Antonio Pietroiusti, Lorenzo Ippoliti, Agostino Paolino, Andrea Militello, Anna Rita Fetoni, Renata Sisto, Giovanna Tranfo, Mariangela Spagnoli, Fabio Sciubba
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Xenobiotics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/15/2/39
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author Michele De Rosa
Ottavia Giampaoli
Adriano Patriarca
Federico Marini
Antonio Pietroiusti
Lorenzo Ippoliti
Agostino Paolino
Andrea Militello
Anna Rita Fetoni
Renata Sisto
Giovanna Tranfo
Mariangela Spagnoli
Fabio Sciubba
author_facet Michele De Rosa
Ottavia Giampaoli
Adriano Patriarca
Federico Marini
Antonio Pietroiusti
Lorenzo Ippoliti
Agostino Paolino
Andrea Militello
Anna Rita Fetoni
Renata Sisto
Giovanna Tranfo
Mariangela Spagnoli
Fabio Sciubba
author_sort Michele De Rosa
collection DOAJ
description The plastic manufacturing industry has a crucial role in the global economy with a significant impact in a wide range of fields. The chemical risk to which workers are potentially exposed is difficult to characterize and strictly related to both the products and processes adopted. Among the chemicals used, we can cite styrene, phenol, butadiene and phthalates, but nano- and microplastic particles can also be released in the work environment. In this pilot study, we present for the first time an NMR-based metabolomic approach for assessing urinary profiles of workers employed in a plastic manufacturing company. Urine samples from twelve workers and thirteen healthy volunteers were collected and analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. Forty-six urinary metabolites belonging to different chemical classes were univocally identified and quantified. The dataset so obtained was then subjected to multivariate statistical analysis to characterize each profile and highlight any differences. An alteration in some metabolites involved in several pathways, such as amino acid metabolism and NAD metabolism, was found, and a strong impact on gut microflora was also speculated. Ultimately, our work has the objective of adding a tile to the knowledge of biological effects possibly related to occupational exposure even if it is below the threshold limit values.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2039-4705
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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record_format Article
series Journal of Xenobiotics
spelling doaj-art-23cabc9920fe4fb28e221b3cdc6be8cd2025-08-20T02:28:31ZengMDPI AGJournal of Xenobiotics2039-47052039-47132025-03-011523910.3390/jox15020039Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot StudyMichele De Rosa0Ottavia Giampaoli1Adriano Patriarca2Federico Marini3Antonio Pietroiusti4Lorenzo Ippoliti5Agostino Paolino6Andrea Militello7Anna Rita Fetoni8Renata Sisto9Giovanna Tranfo10Mariangela Spagnoli11Fabio Sciubba12Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyNMR-Based Metabolomics Laboratory (NMLab), Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyFaculty of Medicine, Saint Camillus International University of Health Science, 00131 Rome, ItalyFaculty of Medicine, Saint Camillus International University of Health Science, 00131 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (INAIL), 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences-Audiology Section, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (INAIL), 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, ItalyDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (INAIL), 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, ItalyDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (INAIL), 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, ItalyNMR-Based Metabolomics Laboratory (NMLab), Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyThe plastic manufacturing industry has a crucial role in the global economy with a significant impact in a wide range of fields. The chemical risk to which workers are potentially exposed is difficult to characterize and strictly related to both the products and processes adopted. Among the chemicals used, we can cite styrene, phenol, butadiene and phthalates, but nano- and microplastic particles can also be released in the work environment. In this pilot study, we present for the first time an NMR-based metabolomic approach for assessing urinary profiles of workers employed in a plastic manufacturing company. Urine samples from twelve workers and thirteen healthy volunteers were collected and analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. Forty-six urinary metabolites belonging to different chemical classes were univocally identified and quantified. The dataset so obtained was then subjected to multivariate statistical analysis to characterize each profile and highlight any differences. An alteration in some metabolites involved in several pathways, such as amino acid metabolism and NAD metabolism, was found, and a strong impact on gut microflora was also speculated. Ultimately, our work has the objective of adding a tile to the knowledge of biological effects possibly related to occupational exposure even if it is below the threshold limit values.https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/15/2/39NMR-based metabolomicsoccupational exposureurinary profilemultivariate statistical analysisplastic manufacturing
spellingShingle Michele De Rosa
Ottavia Giampaoli
Adriano Patriarca
Federico Marini
Antonio Pietroiusti
Lorenzo Ippoliti
Agostino Paolino
Andrea Militello
Anna Rita Fetoni
Renata Sisto
Giovanna Tranfo
Mariangela Spagnoli
Fabio Sciubba
Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot Study
Journal of Xenobiotics
NMR-based metabolomics
occupational exposure
urinary profile
multivariate statistical analysis
plastic manufacturing
title Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot Study
title_full Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot Study
title_fullStr Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot Study
title_full_unstemmed Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot Study
title_short Urinary Metabolomics of Plastic Manufacturing Workers: A Pilot Study
title_sort urinary metabolomics of plastic manufacturing workers a pilot study
topic NMR-based metabolomics
occupational exposure
urinary profile
multivariate statistical analysis
plastic manufacturing
url https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/15/2/39
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