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Chemical additives in weathered microplastic in the marine environment occurrence and risk:occurrence and risk
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Researchers measured chemical additives — including phthalate plasticizers known to disrupt hormones — in polyurethane and PVC plastics before and after four months of weathering in a Norwegian fjord, finding that concentrations reached up to 1,000 nanograms per gram of plastic and that risk to marine organisms remained low, though non-target screening flagged additional unidentified compounds of concern.
A Nordic project identified and measured residues of chemical additives in polyurethane (PUR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Measurements were done in new plastic, and in plastic weathered for four months in Samnangerfjorden near Bergen. Targeted chemical analysis with GC-Orbitrap was performed for identification and GC-MS analysis for quantification. Four plasticizers were detected in PUR and three in PVC, before and after weathering: Dibutyl adipate, N-butylbenzenesulphonamide (only in PUR), dibutyl phthalate, and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). Maximum concentrations were approx. 1000 ng/g plastic. Also triphenyl phosphite and octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate were identified. Risk quotients for copepods, cod and fulmar showed low risk. Additionally, non-target screening with GC-Orbitrap identified sixteen chemicals, of which two had hazard classifications.
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Chemical additives in weathered microplastic in the marine environment
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A Nordic study measured chemical additives in polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride samples before and after four months of weathering in a fjord near Bergen, Norway. Several plasticizers were detected and their concentrations changed with weathering, indicating that environmental degradation alters the chemical hazard profile of plastic debris over time.
Identification and quantification of additive-derived chemicals in beached micro-mesoplastics and macroplastics.
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Researchers screened 261 macro- and micro-mesoplastic debris samples from two beaches for plastic additives, detecting 52 chemicals including antioxidants, phthalates, UV stabilizers, and flame retardants, and finding that antioxidant degradation products served as markers for weathering duration in the marine environment.
Occurrence and effects of plastic additives on marine environments and organisms: A review
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This review examines chemical additives found in plastics, such as flame retardants, phthalates, and bisphenol A, and how they leach into the marine environment as plastics accumulate and fragment. Researchers summarize evidence showing that these additives have been detected in marine water, sediment, and organisms, and can transfer from ingested plastic into animal tissues. The findings highlight that the chemical risk from plastic additives deserves as much attention as the physical impacts of microplastic particles themselves.
Risk assessment of harmful types of plastics in the marine environment
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This risk assessment evaluated the chemical hazards posed by residual additives and degradation products in seven types of microplastic particles found in the marine environment. The report identifies specific polymer types that pose the greatest risk to marine organisms through chemical leaching.
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Researchers placed large pieces of seven commercial plastic polymers outdoors under natural conditions for extended periods and measured the release of phthalates, phenolic compounds, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, finding that realistic environmental conditions cause significant leaching of toxic chemical additives.
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