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Impact Of The Polymer Degradation On The Metallic Additives Distribution In Microplastics
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Researchers used synchrotron micro-XRF to map metallic additives in weathered polyethylene plastics collected from the environment, revealing that polymer degradation preferentially releases certain metals over others from hotspot distributions within the plastic matrix, meaning microplastics act not merely as vectors but as active sources of metal contamination.
The increasing production of plastics combined with the mismanagement of the plastic waste contributes to the creation of an environmental and health threat at a planetary scale. In addition to the alteration of plastic waste, the release of their additives and their fate remains unexplored. Although many studies focused on organic additives such as endocrine disruptors, few information is available on inorganic additives, especially on metals. These metallic additives can be released into the environment by degradation of the polymer matrices, becoming a new source of toxicity. To assess the impact of plastic degradation on the metallic additives’ distribution and release, altered macroplastics (> 5 mm) were collected in the environment. By micro-XRF performed on a synchrotron line, colocalizations of metals were observed in the altered and unaltered layers of plastics. In the polyethylene plastics, metal additives are distributed as hotspot and large area as well as diffused elements. Statistical study analysis of the ratios between metals present in the non-altered and altered layers showed a preferential release of some metals. For a given additive some metals are released in greater quantity than the other. Plastics are therefore not only vectors, but also sources of metals in the environment.
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Microplastics readily sorb potentially toxic elements including heavy metals and metalloids from surrounding water, acting as concentrated carriers of these hazardous substances through aquatic food webs. This sorption capacity amplifies the toxicological risk of microplastic ingestion for organisms, including humans who consume contaminated seafood.
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