연구/산학
PKNU Research 1000
| Ryu Bo-mi·Lee Seung-jun | Microplastics in PET Bottles Deteriorate Male Reproductive Development Study | |||
| 작성자 | 대외홍보센터 | 작성일 | 2025-03-25 |
| 조회수 | 47 | ||
| Ryu Bo-mi·Lee Seung-jun | Microplastics in PET Bottles Deteriorate Male Reproductive Development Study | |||||
 |
대외홍보센터 |  |
2025-03-25 |  |
47 |
Microplastics in PET Bottles Deteriorate Male Reproductive Development Study 'Gains Attention'
- Pukyong National University Research Team Publishes in the International Journal <Advanced Science>
A study analyzing the long-term effects of PET microplastics, commonly found in everyday PET bottle beverages, on male reproductive development has drawn attention.
The research team from Pukyong National University, consisting of Jeong Seung-jin and Park Su-Rye, Ph.D. candidates (joint first authors), and Ryu Bo-mi and Lee Seung-jun, professors (joint corresponding authors) from the Department of Food and Nutrition, published their paper titled ‘Unseen Threats: The Long-term Impact of PET-Microplastics on Development of Male Reproductive Over a Lifetime’ in the January issue of the prestigious journal <Advanced Science> (IF 14.3, top 6.5%).
The research team conducted an experiment where they fed PET microplastics to a juvenile mouse model weekly for 29 weeks. They then comprehensively analyzed the microstructure of testicular and epididymal tissues, blood testosterone levels, sperm concentration and motility, and RNA transcriptomic changes.
The results of the experiment and analysis revealed that in the mouse model, blood testosterone levels decreased, sperm formation in the testicles and epididymis was impaired, leading to a general decline in sperm concentration and motility, and both sperm production and maturation were simultaneously inhibited.
The research team, through transcriptomic analysis in this study, identified the molecular mechanisms by which the continuous ingestion of microplastics generally suppresses the expression of genes related to male hormones and meiosis. This finding indicates that long-term exposure to microplastics can directly affect the decline in reproductive function.
Notably, the team focused on the fact that microplastics, which are worn down and fragmented when we drink from PET bottles, have rough surfaces and irregular particle sizes, unlike the spherical beads used in traditional laboratory experiments. This distinction led them to conduct their research.
Additionally, this study is significant as it realistically simulates the impact of microplastic ingestion on males throughout their entire lifespan, starting from childhood.
Professor Ryu Bo-mi stated, "This research is meaningful as it scientifically identifies the potential long-term risks that commonly used PET materials can pose to the human body." Professor Lee Seung-jun emphasized, "There is a need to further investigate the effects of PET microplastics on reproductive health and reflect these findings in environmental and health policy improvements."
Meanwhile, this study was conducted with the support of the Ottogi Ham Tae-ho Foundation, the Pukyong National University Early Career Researcher Challenge Support Program (202312110001), and the joint research project with the Korea Basic Science Institute (NRF-2021R1A6C101A416).