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Characterisation of nanoplastics during the degradation of polystyrene
Summary
Researchers used nanoparticle tracking analysis to characterize how polystyrene degrades into nanoplastic particles under controlled laboratory conditions. They found that UV exposure and mechanical stress produced vast quantities of nanoscale particles from disposable coffee cup lids, with concentrations increasing over time. The study provides direct evidence that everyday plastic items can break down into nanoplastics, raising concerns about an invisible layer of environmental contamination.
The release of plastics into the environment has been identified as an important issue for some time. Recent publications have suggested that the degradation of plastic materials will result in the release of nano-sized plastic particles to the environment. Nanoparticle tracking analysis was applied to characterise the formation of nanoplastics during the degradation of a polystyrene (PS) disposable coffee cup lid. The results clearly show an increase in the formation of nanoplastics over time. After 56 days' exposure the concentration of nanoplastics in the PS sample was 1.26 × 10(8) particles/ml (average particles size 224 nm) compared to 0.41 × 10(8) particles/ml in the control.