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Mechanical and Thermal Properties of HDPE/PET Microplastics, Applications, and Impact on Environment and Life
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Researchers reviewed the mechanical and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics, which persist in the environment for many years due to their resistance to degradation. The study examines how these widely produced plastics become microplastic pollutants distributed throughout freshwater and ocean environments, and discusses their potential impacts on living organisms.
Microplastics (MPs), which have recently threatened living organisms, are widely distributed throughout the world’s fresh waters, oceans, and seas. HDPEs and PETs are produced and used in significant quantities in plastics. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can survive in the natural environment for many years, are resistant to thermal, mechanical, and biological effects. This study examined the current developments in the sources of high-density polyethylene microplastics (mHDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (mPET), and their disposal and properties. mHDPE and mPET microplastics consist of several sources, including their debris that breaks down their waste into smaller pieces as a result of physical and chemical processes, as well as micro-sized pieces of plastic commonly applied in personal care products or synthetic textiles. mHDPE and mPET pollution has become an important environmental problem with the potential to harm human health by entering the human and animal food chain. mHDPEs and mPETs, which enter the living organism through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact in general, adversely affect the cellular mechanisms in different parts of the body. In addition, they are decomposed into free radicals by the effects of external factors such as light and temperature, as well as biological agents and chemical wastes in the environment, which significantly affects the sustainability of the ecological environment.
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Researchers conducted experiments to study the physical and chemical behavior of polyethylene and PET microplastic particles under different environmental conditions. The study contributes to understanding how these plastics persist and transform in the environment.
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An Overview of the Sorption Studies of Contaminants on Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics in the Marine Environment
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This review examines how polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics adsorb and release both organic and metallic contaminants in the marine environment. Researchers analyzed the sorption mechanisms and kinetic models used to study how pollutants bind to PET particles. The study underscores the growing concern that PET microplastics, one of the most common plastics found in ocean pollution, may serve as carriers for toxic chemicals in marine ecosystems.
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