Erratum to “Screening the release of chemicals and microplastic particles from diverse plastic consumer products into water under accelerated UV weathering conditions” [J Hazard Mater 477 (2024) 135256]

Screening the release of chemicals and microplastic particles from diverse plastic consumer products into water under accelerated UV weathering conditions

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Researchers exposed eight common plastic consumer products to UV light simulating eight months of weathering and found they released both microplastic particles and hundreds of chemical compounds into water. The UV exposure significantly increased the release of toxic metals and organic chemicals compared to products kept in the dark. Many of the detected substances exceeded safety thresholds, suggesting that sun-degraded plastic products could pose meaningful health and environmental risks.

Corrigendum to “Microplastics generated from a biodegradable plastic in freshwater and seawater” [Water Research, 198(2021), 117123]

UV weathering alters toxicity and chemical composition of consumer plastic leachates

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Researchers examined how UV weathering changes the toxicity and chemical makeup of leachates from eight types of consumer plastic products. They found that UV exposure increased cytotoxicity up to 13-fold, particularly for polyethylene leachates, and enhanced reactive toxicity by up to 82%. The increased toxicity was primarily linked to the release and transformation of organic chemicals rather than the microplastic particles themselves, highlighting UV weathering as a critical driver of plastic pollution hazards.

Ecotoxicological assessment of microplastics in limnic systems with emphasis on chemicals released by weathering

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This study examined both the physical and chemical toxicity of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems, with special focus on chemicals released when plastics are weathered by ultraviolet light. The research tested conventional and biodegradable plastics, addressing whether particle properties or leaching chemicals drive ecotoxicological effects.

Influence of chemical aging processes on releasing organic products from microplastics

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This study examined how chemical aging processes, including UV exposure and oxidation, affect the release of organic compounds from microplastic particles. The results showed that weathered microplastics release different and sometimes more abundant chemical products than pristine particles, increasing their chemical hazard in the environment.