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Low Temperature Decomposition of Polystyrene

Applied Sciences 2020 25 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 30 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Hideki Kimukai, Katsuhiko Saido Katsuhiko Saido Hideki Kimukai, Koshiro Koizumi, Katsuhiko Saido Katsuhiko Saido Yōichi Kodera, Yōichi Kodera, Yōichi Kodera, Yōichi Kodera, Koshiro Koizumi, Hideki Kimukai, Hideki Kimukai, Hideki Kimukai, Hideki Kimukai, Hideki Kimukai, Hideki Kimukai, Hideki Kimukai, Hideki Kimukai, Toshihiko Hiaki, Masaki Okada, Kazunori Yamada, Koshiro Koizumi, Koshiro Koizumi, Koshiro Koizumi, Toshihiko Hiaki, Toshihiko Hiaki, Katsuhiko Saido Katsuhiko Saido

Summary

Researchers confirmed that polystyrene plastic can break down into styrene oligomers — including potentially harmful chemical building blocks — at temperatures as low as 30°C, far below industrial conditions. This means polystyrene waste in the environment can release toxic chemicals through natural weathering.

Polymers

Study Type Environmental

Styrene oligomers (SOs), of styrene (styrene monomer, SM), 1,3-diphenylpropane (styrene dimer, SD1), 2,4-diphenyl-1-butene (styrene dimer, SD2) and 2,4,6-triphenyl-1-hexene (styrene trimer, ST), had been detected in the natural environments far from industrial area. To confirm SOs formation through thermal decomposition of polystyrene (PS) wastes in the nature, purified polystyrene (SO-free PS) has been shown to decompose at 30 to 150 °C. The SO ratio of SM:SD:ST was about 1:1:5 with ST as the main product. Mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring was used for the quantitative analysis of the trace amounts of SOs. The rate of PS decomposition was obtained as k(year−1)=5.177 exp(−5029/T(K)) based on the amount of ST. Decomposition kinetics indicated that not only does drifting lump PS break up into micro/nano pieces in the ocean, but that it also subsequently undergoes degradation into basic structure units SO. According to the simulation at 30 °C, the amounts of SOs in the ocean will be over 400 MT in 2050.

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