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New approach to produce accelerated aged microplastics standard
Summary
Researchers developed a new approach to produce accelerated aged microplastic standard materials by subjecting polymer particles to simulated weathering conditions, generating reference materials that more accurately reflect the degraded chemical and physical properties of microplastics found in real environmental samples.
The field microplastics (MPs) research is still lacking standard materials that resemble the MPs found in the environment. In order to produce MPs, that are as realistic as possible, it is necessary to consider not only the broad range of polymer materials, particle shapes and sizes, but also the condition of the MPs found in the environment. Throughout their life cycle, polymers are subjected to various stressors, and once exposed to natural conditions, they undergo weathering, leading to degradation of their chemical and physical properties. The behaviour of MPs in the environment is influenced by their degradation state, which makes it crucial to include aged MPs standard materials in research. The current challenge is to develop new methods that are cost-effective, time- and energy-efficient, and capable of producing reproducible results while simulating natural degradation processes. In this study, we compared two methods of accelerated aging: artificial solar radiation treatment (ASRT) and electron beam treatment (EBT). The study focused on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Pristine and degraded materials were analysed using differential scanning calorimetry and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, among other techniques. Our findings indicate that the degradation state depends not only on the method used, but also on the type of polymer and the environmental conditions during the artificial accelerated aging. Although ASRT currently produces MPs that closely resemble naturally aged MPs, the process is time-consuming and limited by the geometry of the aging chamber. In contrast, EBT offers greater energy efficiency and flexibility. Various parameters during EBT can be adjusted to simulate various environmental conditions, making this method a promising approach for producing MPs standards reflecting the properties of naturally aged MPs in an accelerated process. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559452/document