Celluloid, the predecessor to plastic, was synthesized in 1869, and due to technological advancements, plastic products appear to be ubiquitous in daily life. The massive production, rampant usage, and inadequate disposal of plastic products have led to severe environmental pollution. Consequently, reducing the employment of plastic has emerged as a pressing concern for governments globally. This review explores microplastics, including their origins, absorption, and harmful effects on the environment and humans. Several methods exist for breaking down plastics, including thermal, mechanical, light, catalytic, and biological processes. Despite these methods, microplastics (MPs, between 1 and 5 mm in size) continue to be produced during degradation. Acknowledging the significant threat that MPs pose to the environment and human health is imperative. This form of pollution is pervasive in the air and food and infiltrates our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact. It is essential to assess the potential hazards that MPs can introduce. There is evidence suggesting that MPs may have negative impacts on different areas of human health. These include the respiratory, gastrointestinal, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems, the liver and organs, the skin, and even the placenta and placental barrier. It is encouraging to see that most of the countries have taken steps to regulate plastic particles. These measures aim to reduce plastic usage, which is essential today. At the same time, this review summarizes the degradation mechanism of plastics, their impact on human health, and plastic reduction policies worldwide. It provides valuable information for future research on MPs and regulatory development.

To expand the applications and enhance the stability and bioactivity of resveratrol (RE), and to simultaneously include the potential health benefits of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) esters of RE were prepared by Steglich reactions with acetic, propionic, and butyric acids, respectively. RE and the esterified RE-SCFA products (including RAE, RPE, and RBE) were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). The FTIR and ¹³C NMR spectra of the esterified products included ester-characteristic peaks at 1751 cm⁻¹ and 171 ppm, respectively. Moreover, the peaks in the range of 1700 to 1600 cm⁻¹ in the FTIR spectra of the esterified products indicated that the esterification of RE-SCFA was successful. The TGA results revealed that the RE-SCFA esters decomposed at lower temperatures than RE. The peaks in the LC–MS profiles of the esterified products indicated the formation of mono- and diesters, and the calculated monoester synthesis rates ranged between 45.81 and 49.64%. The RE esters inhibited the Cu²⁺-induced low-density lipoprotein oxidation reaction, exhibited antioxidant activity in bulk oil, and effectively inhibited the hydroxyl radical-induced DNA scission. Moreover, the RE-SCFA esters had better hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity than RE. Our results are the first in the literature to successfully including short chain fatty acids in the esters of resveratrol, and the products could be used as a functional food ingredient in processed foods or can be used as dietary supplements to promote health.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have stable reactivity and excellent optical absorption properties. They can be applied in various industries, such as environmental protection, biochemical engineering, and analyte monitoring. However, synthesizing AgNPs and determining their appropriate dosage as a coloring substance are difficult tasks. In this study, to optimize the process of AgNP synthesis and obtain a simple detection method for trace mercury in the environment, we evaluate several factors—including the reagent addition sequence, reaction temperature, reaction time, the pH of the solution, and reagent concentration—considering the color intensity and purity of AgNPs as the reaction optimization criteria. The optimal process for AgNP synthesis is as follows: Mix 10 mM of silver nitrate with trisodium citrate in a hot water bath for 10 min; then, add 10 mM of sodium borohydride to produce the AgNPs and keep stirring for 2 h; finally, adjust the pH to 12 to obtain the most stable products. For AgNP-based mercury detection, the calibration curve of mercury over the concentration range of 0.1–2 ppb exhibits good linearity (R² > 0.99). This study provides a stable and excellent AgNP synthesis technique that can improve various applications involving AgNP-mediated reactions and has the potential to be developed as an alternative to using expensive detection equipment and to be applied for the detection of mercury in food.

Resveratrol can affect the physiology or biochemistry of offspring in the maternal–fetal animal model. However, it exhibits low bioavailability in humans and animals. Fifteen-week SD pregnant female rats were orally administered bisphenol A (BPA) and/or resveratrol butyrate ester (RBE), and the male offspring rats (n = 4–8 per group) were evaluated. The results show that RBE treatment (BPA + R30) compared with the BPA group can reduce the damage caused by BPA (p < 0.05). RBE enhanced the expression of selected genes and induced extramedullary hematopoiesis and mononuclear cell infiltration. RBE increased the abundance of S24-7 and Adlercreutzia in the intestines of the male offspring rats, as well as the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the feces. RBE also increased the antioxidant capacity of the liver by inducing Nrf2, promoting the expression of HO-1, SOD, and CAT. It also increased the concentration of intestinal SCFAs, enhancing the barrier formed by intestinal cells, thereby preventing BPA-induced metabolic disruption in the male offspring rats, and reduced liver inflammation. This study identified a potential mechanism underlying the protective effects of RBE against the liver damage caused by BPA exposure during the peri-pregnancy period, and the influence of the gut microbiota on the gut–liver axis in the offspring.

Resveratrol butyrate esters (RBE) are derivatives of resveratrol (RSV) and butyric acid and exhibit biological activity similar to that of RSV but with higher bioavailability. The aim of this study was designed as an animal experiment to explore the effects of RBE on the serum biochemistry, and fat deposits in the offspring rats exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), along with the growth and decline of gut microbiota. We constructed an animal model of perinatal Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure to observe the effects of RBE supplementation on obesity, blood lipids, and intestinal microbiota in female offspring rats. Perinatal exposure to BPA led to weight gain, lipid accumulation, high levels of blood lipids, and deterioration of intestinal microbiota in female offspring rats. RBE supplementation reduced the weight gain and lipid accumulation caused by BPA, optimised the levels of blood lipids, significantly reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio, and increased and decreased the abundance of S24-7 and Lactobacillus, respectively. The analysis of faecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels revealed that BPA exposure increased the faecal concentration of acetate, which could be reduced via RBE supplementation. However, the faecal concentrations of propionate and butyrate were not only significantly lower than that of acetate, but also did not significantly change in response to BPA exposure or RBE supplementation. Hence, RBE can suppress BPA-induced obesity in female offspring rats, and it demonstrates excellent modulatory activity on intestinal microbiota, with potential applications in perinatological research.

To facilitate broad applications and enhance bioactivity, resveratrol was esterified to resveratrol butyrate esters (RBE). Esterification with butyric acid was conducted by the Steglich esterification method at room temperature with N-ethyl-N′-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and 4-dimethyl aminopyridine (DMAP). Our experiments demonstrated the synthesis of RBE through EDC- and DMAP-facilitated esterification was successful and that the FTIR spectra of RBE revealed absorption (1751 cm⁻¹) in the ester region. ¹³C-NMR spectrum of RBE showed a peak at 171 ppm corresponding to the ester group and peaks between 1700 and 1600 cm⁻¹ in the FTIR spectra. RBE treatment (25 or 50 μM) decreased oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. This effect was stronger than that of resveratrol and mediated through the downregulation of p-ACC and SREBP-2 expression. This is the first study demonstrating RBE could be synthesized by the Steglich method and that resulting RBE could inhibit lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. These results suggest that RBE could potentially serve as functional food ingredients and supplements for health promotion.