We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Photoaging enhances the leaching of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and transformation products from polyvinyl chloride microplastics into aquatic environments
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that sunlight aging of PVC microplastics accelerates the release of DEHP, a hormone-disrupting plasticizer, by 1.5 times compared to new plastics. The aging process also creates harmful breakdown products like MEHP and phthalic acid that leach into water. Since most microplastics in the environment have been exposed to sunlight, the actual release of toxic chemicals from plastic pollution is likely much higher than estimates based on new plastic suggest.
Increasing chemical pollution is a threat to sustainable water resources worldwide. Plastics and harmful additives released from plastics add to this burden and might pose a risk to aquatic organisms, and human health. Phthalates, which are common plasticizers and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, are released from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics and are a cause of concern. Therefore, the leaching kinetics of additives, including the influence of environmental weathering, are key to assessing exposure concentrations but remain largely unknown. We show that photoaging strongly enhances the leaching rates of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) by a factor of 1.5, and newly-formed harmful transformation products, such as mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), phthalic acid, and phthalic anhydride from PVC microplastics into the aquatic environment. Leaching half-lives of DEHP reduced from 449 years for pristine PVC to 121 years for photoaged PVC. Aqueous boundary layer diffusion (ABLD) is the limiting mass transfer process for the release of DEHP from pristine and photoaged PVC microplastics. The leaching of transformation products is limited by intraparticle diffusion (IPD). The calculated mass transfer rates can be used to predict exposure concentrations of harmful additives in the aquatic environment.
More Papers Like This
Leaching of Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate from Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics in Synthetic Freshwater, Seawater, and Fish In Vitro Digestion Fluids
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that PVC microplastics (like those from wire coatings) only release the harmful chemical DEHP—a plastic softener linked to hormone disruption—after being broken down by sunlight (UV aging); fresh, unweathered plastic didn't leach it at all. This matters because it shows that "old," sun-damaged plastic debris in oceans, lakes, or even fish guts may pose a greater chemical exposure risk than new plastic, though factors like salt water and food in the digestive tract can partly reduce how much of the chemical actually gets absorbed.
Impact of Ultraviolet Aging Under Different Environmental Factors on the Leaching Behavior of Phthalate Esters (DnBP and DEHP) from Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastic
AI summary Read the abstract
Sunlight breaks down PVC plastic (like the kind used in some pipes, toys, and packaging), and this damage can actually speed up the release of hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates that are added to make plastic flexible. The study found that everyday environmental conditions matter a lot: things like humic acid (a natural substance found in soil and water) can cause up to 13 times more chemical leaching, while certain minerals in water can block most of it. This matters because it shows that sunlight-damaged plastics floating in rivers, oceans, or soil may release more of these hormone-disrupting chemicals than we previously
Effect of aging on the release of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from biodegradable and petroleum-based microplastics into soil
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that aging processes like UV exposure and chemical oxidation cause microplastics to release more of the plasticizer DEHP, a potential carcinogen, into surrounding soil. Biodegradable PLA plastic released DEHP faster than conventional PVC or polystyrene when aged, suggesting that so-called eco-friendly plastics may not be safer in terms of chemical leaching. The findings are concerning because DEHP is known to disrupt hormones, and this study shows that weathered microplastics in soil could be a greater source of exposure than previously thought.
Environmental factors strongly influence the leaching of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from polyvinyl chloride microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that environmental conditions like temperature, UV light, salinity, and pH strongly influence how fast the plasticizer DEHP leaches from PVC microplastics into water. Higher temperatures and UV exposure significantly accelerated the release of this endocrine-disrupting chemical. This is important because it means microplastics in warm, sunlit waters may release harmful additives much faster than lab studies under standard conditions would predict.
Synergistic interplay of weathered microplastics: Coupling sorption-leaching behavior and environmental risk implications
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how photo-weathering alters the properties of polystyrene and PVC microplastics, affecting their ability to adsorb heavy metals and leach chemical additives. They found that UVC irradiation caused more significant surface changes than xenon light, and weathering accelerated the leaching rate of the plasticizer DEHP from PVC by three times. A health risk assessment showed that weathered microplastics posed roughly double the health risk of virgin microplastics.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.