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Mobilisation of antimony from microplastics added to coastal sediment
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This study found that microplastics containing antimony — a toxic metal used as a flame retardant and catalyst in plastic production — can leach significant amounts of antimony into coastal sediments over time. The release was rapid under simulated environmental conditions, suggesting microplastics are an underrecognized source of metal contamination in marine sediments.
Antimony (Sb) widely occurs in plastics as a pigment and reaction residue and through the use and recycling of electronic material enriched in Sb as a flame retardant synergist. In this study, clean estuarine sediment has been contaminated by different microplastics prepared from pre-characterised samples of different types of plastic (including a rubber) containing a range of Sb concentrations (256-47,600 μg g). Sediment-plastic mixtures in a mass ratio of 100:1 were subject to 6-h extractions in seawater and in seawater solutions of a protein (bovine serum albumin; BSA) and a surfactant (taurocholic acid; TA) that mimic the digestive conditions of coastal deposit-feeding invertebrates. Most time-courses for Sb mobilisation could be defined by a second-order diffusion equation, with rate constants ranging from 44.6 to 0.0216 (μg g) min. Bioaccessibilities, defined as maximum extractable concentrations throughout each time course relative to total Sb content, ranged from <0.01% for a polycarbonate impregnated with Sb as a synergist exposed to all solutions, to >1% for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene containing a Sb-based colour pigment exposed to solutions of BSA and TA and recycled industrial polyethylene exposed to BSA solution. The potential for Sb to bioaccumulate or elicit a toxic effect is unknown but it is predicted that communities of deposit-feeders could mobilise significant quantities of Sb in sediment contaminated by microplastics through bioturbation and digestion.
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Antimony release from e-waste-derived microplastics in aqueous environments: Effect of plastic properties and environmental factors
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Researchers studied how antimony, a toxic element used as a flame retardant in electronics, leaches out of e-waste microplastics into water. They found that smaller particle sizes and UV aging dramatically increased antimony release, with some conditions boosting it by over 600 percent. The study suggests that electronic waste breaking down into microplastics could be a significant and underappreciated source of antimony contamination in aquatic environments.
Mobilization and bioaccessibility of cadmium in coastal sediment contaminated by microplastics
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Plastics containing cadmium (a toxic heavy metal once common in plastic pigments) were ground into microplastic-sized fragments and mixed with coastal sediment; the cadmium was mobilized and became more available to organisms under certain conditions. This shows microplastics can carry and release toxic metals into marine environments.
Microplastic-mediated antimony adsorption and Sb(V) reduction in mining-impacted groundwater: Investigative and experimental insights
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This record provides original data but the abstract text was not included, so specific findings cannot be summarized. The title indicates the study examined how microplastics interact with antimony in groundwater affected by mining, including adsorption and chemical reduction processes.
Degradation of polyethylene terephthalate bottle fragments in the marine environment: An empirical study of structural and chemical changes
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Scientists studied plastic water bottles that had been sitting on the ocean floor and found they break down into tiny plastic pieces called microplastics while also releasing a toxic metal called antimony (Sb). These plastic bottles could persist in the ocean for 20 to over 1,000 years, continuously creating microplastics that can enter our food chain through seafood. This matters because microplastics and antimony can potentially harm human health when we consume contaminated fish and shellfish.
Recovery of Antimony from Secondary Sources: Extraction Strategies and Analytical Approaches
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This review paper summarizes existing research on how to recover antimony, a toxic metal used in flame retardants and electronics, from various types of waste. Scientists are working on better ways to extract and recycle antimony because natural supplies are running low, and this metal can be harmful to human health when it builds up in the environment. Better recycling methods could reduce the amount of antimony pollution while ensuring we have enough of this useful material for important products.
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