We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This study systematically characterized the degradation products generated from artificially aged microplastics, finding that weathering produces a complex mixture of chemical byproducts beyond the original polymer that deserve attention in environmental risk assessments.
Most of the analytical studies focused on microplastics (MPs) are based on the detection and identification of the polymers constituting the particles. On the other hand, plastic debris in the environment undergoes chemical and physical degradation processes leading not only to mechanical but also to molecular fragmentation quickly resulting in the formation of leachable, soluble and/or volatile degradation products that are released in the environment. We performed the analysis of reference MPs-polymer micropowders obtained by grinding a set of five polymer types down to final size in the 857-509 μm range, namely high- and low-density polyethylene, polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The reference MPs were artificially aged in a solar-box to investigate their degradation processes by characterizing the aged (photo-oxidized) MPs and their low molecular weight and/or highly oxidized fraction. For this purpose, the artificially aged MPs were subjected to extraction in polar organic solvents, targeting selective recovery of the low molecular weight fractions generated during the artificial aging. Analysis of the extractable fractions and of the residues was carried out by a multi-technique approach combining evolved gas analysis-mass spectrometry (EGA-MS), pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The results provided information on the degradation products formed during accelerated aging. Up to 18 wt% of extractable, low molecular weight fraction was recovered from the photo-aged MPs, depending on the polymer type. The photo-degradation products of polyolefins (PE and PP) included a wide range of long chain alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and hydroxy acids, as detected in the soluble fractions of aged samples. SEC analyses also showed a marked decrease in the average molecular weight of PP polymer chains, whereas cross-linking was observed in the case of PS. The most abundant low molecular weight photo-degradation products of PS were benzoic acid and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, while PET had the highest stability towards aging, as indicated by the modest generation of low molecular weight species.
More Papers Like This
A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This study systematically tracked the chemical degradation products that form as microplastics age in the environment, finding that weathering generates a range of potentially toxic organic compounds beyond the plastic itself. This suggests the environmental and health risks of microplastics increase as they break down over time.
Stability of Microplastics: Detection of Potentially Harmful Compounds Produced by Microplastics During Accelerated Aging Studies
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigate how microplastics change chemically during accelerated aging, detecting potentially harmful compounds released as plastics degrade, raising concerns about the additional toxicological risks posed by weathered microplastics beyond the particles themselves.
Influence of chemical aging processes on releasing organic products from microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how chemical aging processes, including UV exposure and oxidation, affect the release of organic compounds from microplastic particles. The results showed that weathered microplastics release different and sometimes more abundant chemical products than pristine particles, increasing their chemical hazard in the environment.
A review on enriched microplastics in environment: From the perspective of their aging impact and associate risk
AI summary Read the abstract
This review explores what happens to microplastics as they age in the environment over long periods. Researchers found that natural weathering changes the physical and chemical properties of microplastics in ways that may increase their ability to harbor harmful microorganisms and interact with other pollutants, suggesting that aging may actually make microplastic pollution more hazardous over time rather than less.
Replicating real-world microplastics with accelerated physicochemical ageing
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed methods to artificially age microplastics in the lab so they accurately replicate the physicochemical properties of microplastics found in real-world environments. Environmentally realistic aged microplastics are essential for generating reliable toxicology data, since fresh plastic particles behave differently than weathered ones that organisms actually encounter.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.