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Distinct properties of plastic-derived submicrometer particles from smoldering burning
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When plastic waste is burned (like in open trash fires), it releases tiny particles that are chemically different from the microplastics you'd get from things like plastic breaking down in the ocean — these new particles are more chemically reactive and quicker to change once they're in the air. This matters because it suggests burning plastic creates a distinct, previously overlooked type of air pollution that could linger longer and interact more with the atmosphere, potentially affecting both air quality and health in ways scientists don't fully understand yet.
Widespread plastic use and mismanaged disposal release substantial amounts of particles into the atmosphere during waste burning. We define these thermally generated particles as plastic-derived submicrometer particles (PDSPs), a poorly characterized class of contaminants. We provide direct evidence that PDSPs are distinct from conventional micro- and nanoplastic particles that are formed mainly by mechanical processes. We show that PDSPs contain mixtures of altered polymeric substances and oxygenated compounds produced by extensive thermal decomposition and chemical transformations during smoldering. Volatility distributions suggest that PDSPs exist in semisolid phase states with lower viscosities than their original polymers. Upon exposure to hydroxyl radicals, the principal oxidant in the atmosphere, PDSPs exhibit higher reactivity than the original polymer particles, forming highly oxidized aerosol species at reaction rates comparable to typical atmospheric organic aerosols. These findings demonstrate that plastic smoldering introduces a previously unrecognized class of atmospherically active particles, with implications for their contribution to global plastic budgets, persistence in the atmosphere, and potential effects on human health and climate-relevant processes.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.