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Differences in Nanoplastic Formation Behavior Between High-Density Polyethylene and Low-Density Polyethylene
Summary
This study looked at how two common types of polyethylene plastic — high-density (HDPE) and low-density (LDPE) — break down into nanoplastics differently due to their distinct internal structures. HDPE fragmented unevenly across both its crystalline and amorphous regions, producing particles with a wide size range, while LDPE tended to delaminate along cross-linked sections, producing more uniform fragments around 20 nanometers. Understanding these differences matters because nanoplastics are small enough to penetrate cells, and their behavior in the body and environment depends partly on their size and surface chemistry.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) films were used to create nanoplastic (NP) models, with the shape of delamination occurring during degradation. In the case of HDPE, selective degradation occurred not only in the amorphous part, but also in the crystalline part at the same time. Some of the lamellae that extend radially to form the spherulite structure were missing during the 30-day degradation. The length of these defects was less than 1 µm. HDPE disintegrated within units of spherulite structure by conformational defects in lamellae, and the size of the fragments obtained had a wide distribution. LDPE was synthesized by radical polymerization, so it contained a cross-linked part. The part was not sufficiently fused, and when it degraded, it delaminated and separated preferentially. The zeta potential reached a minimum value of approximately -20 mV at the degradation time of 21 days, and then increased. This complex dependence on degradation time was due to NP particle aggregation. The addition of 1% Triton(R) X-114 surfactant was effective in stabilizing the NP dispersion. The particle size remained constant at around 20 nm for degradation times of 15-30 days.