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Disentangling biological effects of primary nanoplastics from dispersion paints’ additional compounds
Summary
Researchers analyzed two common water-based dispersion paints and found they contain micro- and nano-sized plastic particles as well as numerous co-compounds including biocides and preservatives. Ecotoxicological testing showed that the plastic particles alone caused limited toxicity compared to whole paint formulations, suggesting chemical additives rather than MPs drive the primary acute toxicity of paint-derived pollution.
Microplastic particles (MP) and nanoplastic particles (NP) as persistent anthropogenic pollutants may impact environmental and human health. A relevant potential source of primary MP and NP is water-based dispersion paint which are commonly used in any household. Given the worldwide high application volume of dispersion paint and their diverse material composition MP and NP may enter the environment with unforeseeable consequences. In order to understand the relevance of these MP and NP from paint dispersion we investigated the components of two representative wall paints and analyzed their composition in detail. The different paint components were then investigated for their impact on the model organism Daphnia magna and on a murine cell line. Plastic NP, dissolved polymers, titanium dioxide NPs, and calcium carbonate MPs demonstrated adverse effects in both biological test systems, indicating detrimental consequences of several typical components of wall paints upon release into the environment. The outcome of this study may form the basis for the evaluation of impact on other organisms, environmental transport and impact, other related technical materials and for the development of strategies for the prevention of potential detrimental effects on organisms.