Generation, characterization and toxicity analysis of secondary nanoplastics and byproducts from recycled LDPE on daphnia magna and spirodela polyrhiza

The rise in recycled plastics usage offers a potential solution to reduce the environmental accumulation of plastic waste. However, it is currently unknown whether these plastics generate particles in the nano-range and whether these nanoplastics (but also byproducts, including associated chemicals and oligomers) may trigger a potential threat to the environment. This study focuses on the generation and characterization of secondary nanoplastics and byproducts derived from recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastics, and assesses their toxicological effects on representative organisms in aquatic ecosystems. Two model organisms were selected: the water flea Daphnia magna and the freshwater plant Spirodela polyrhiza. Secondary nanoplastics and byproducts were obtained through mechanical fragmentation of LDPE microplastics. A comprehensive physicochemical characterization has been conducted to verify the presence of secondary nanoplastics through several techniques such as dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The selected organisms were exposed to increasing concentrations of generated materials to evaluate the biological effects of secondary nanoplastics and released byproducts. Results showed that acute exposure to both secondary nanoplastics and LDPE-byproducts had a significant effect on Daphnia magna, with 40 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559399/document