Chitosan with defined intrinsic viscosity enables physicochemical entrapment of microplastics under in vitro gastric conditions
Abstract
H-NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrate that this transition arises from the polymer architecture rather than the surface charge, enabling multipoint interactions and topological confinement within a continuous polymer network. These findings establish intrinsic viscosity as a key design parameter for polymer-based interception of MPs at the biointerface. While the biological fate of the resulting aggregates requires further investigation, this study provides a physicochemical framework for understanding and engineering polymer-MP interactions under gastric conditions. These findings suggest a new material-based approach for reducing the bioavailability of MPs by dietary intervention.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Nanocomposite Films for Food Packaging
Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
Polysaccharides Composition and Applications
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of Materials Chemistry B
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 20
- Pages
- 6311–6322
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN