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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Gaseous products generated from polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate during ultraviolet irradiation: Mechanism, pathway and toxicological analyses
ClearVolatile organic compounds generation pathways and mechanisms from microplastics in water: Ultraviolet, chlorine and ultraviolet/chlorine disinfection
Researchers examined how UV, chlorine, and combined UV/chlorine disinfection treatments cause microplastics to release volatile organic compounds, identifying distinct degradation pathways for polypropylene, polystyrene, and PVC that generate diverse chemical byproducts in treated water.
Release of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from photo-degraded plastic debris: A neglected source of environmental pollution
Researchers investigated the release of volatile organic compounds from common plastic polymers including polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene during artificial UV aging. The study found that photo-degraded plastics release harmful VOCs, identifying this as a neglected source of environmental pollution that could pose risks to both ecosystems and human health as plastic debris weathers in the environment.
New insights into the photo-degraded polystyrene microplastic: Effect on the release of volatile organic compounds
Researchers investigated how ultraviolet light breaks down polystyrene microplastics and what volatile organic compounds are released during the process. They found that while the physical properties of the microplastics changed only slightly during UV exposure, the particles released a variety of potentially harmful volatile chemicals. The study provides new insights into the secondary pollution risks posed by microplastics as they degrade in the environment.
Photolysis of microplastics under ultraviolet radiation : greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers investigated how ultraviolet radiation drives the photolytic degradation of microplastics ranging from 1 micron to 5 mm, measuring greenhouse gas emissions produced as plastics fragment and oxidize under UV exposure. Photolysis was shown to both fragment microplastics and release gases including methane and ethylene, linking plastic degradation to climate-relevant emissions.
Photolysis of microplastics under ultraviolet radiation : greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers investigated the photodegradation of microplastics under UV radiation, measuring greenhouse gas emissions produced during polymer breakdown. The study found that microplastic photolysis releases carbon-based gases, adding a previously underappreciated contribution to atmospheric greenhouse gas budgets.
Screening the release of chemicals and microplastic particles from diverse plastic consumer products into water under accelerated UV weathering conditions
Researchers exposed eight common plastic consumer products to UV light simulating eight months of weathering and found they released both microplastic particles and hundreds of chemical compounds into water. The UV exposure significantly increased the release of toxic metals and organic chemicals compared to products kept in the dark. Many of the detected substances exceeded safety thresholds, suggesting that sun-degraded plastic products could pose meaningful health and environmental risks.
Microplastic-DerivedCarbon Emissions: From GranularCarbon to Dissolved Organic Carbon and Carbon Dioxide under UltravioletRadiation
Researchers investigated microplastic-derived carbon emissions under ultraviolet radiation, tracking the transformation pathway from granular carbon to dissolved organic carbon and ultimately carbon dioxide, finding that UV aging drives significant carbon release from hydrocarbon polymer microplastics.
Plastic breeze: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by degrading macro- and microplastics analyzed by selected ion flow-tube mass spectrometry
This study used mass spectrometry to analyze volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by degrading macro- and microplastics of different polymer types, finding that weathered plastics emit a complex mixture of potentially toxic gases. Plastic pollution not only contaminates ecosystems through particles but also through the release of harmful chemical vapors as plastics age and break down.
UV weathering alters toxicity and chemical composition of consumer plastic leachates
Researchers examined how UV weathering changes the toxicity and chemical makeup of leachates from eight types of consumer plastic products. They found that UV exposure increased cytotoxicity up to 13-fold, particularly for polyethylene leachates, and enhanced reactive toxicity by up to 82%. The increased toxicity was primarily linked to the release and transformation of organic chemicals rather than the microplastic particles themselves, highlighting UV weathering as a critical driver of plastic pollution hazards.
Insight into chain scission and release profiles from photodegradation of polycarbonate microplastics
Researchers studied how sunlight breaks down polycarbonate microplastics in water and what chemicals are released in the process. The study found that UV exposure caused the plastics to fragment into smaller pieces while releasing bisphenol A (BPA) and other potentially harmful organic compounds. Importantly, BPA accounted for only a small fraction of the total chemicals released, suggesting that many unknown degradation products are also entering aquatic environments.
Elucidating the characteristic of leachates released from microplastics under different aging conditions: Perspectives of dissolved organic carbon fingerprints and nano-plastics
Researchers investigated how different aging conditions affect the release of dissolved organic carbon and nanoplastics from PVC and polystyrene microplastics over 130 days. The study found that UV aging and high temperatures promoted the release of nanoplastics and altered the chemical characteristics of leached substances, with UV-aged treatments producing smaller, rougher nanoparticles that may pose greater ecological risks.
Emerging investigator series: microplastic-based leachate formation under UV irradiation: the extent, characteristics, and mechanisms
Six common microplastic types were exposed to UV irradiation to characterize surface changes and leachate chemical profiles, finding that UV treatment generated oxidized surface groups and released diverse organic compounds. Leachate composition varied by polymer type, highlighting the role of weathering in generating secondary chemical pollution from microplastics.
Molecular characteristics and plastic additives in dissolved organic matter derived from polystyrene microplastics: Effects of cumulative irradiation and microplastic concentrations
This study investigated how ultraviolet light breaks down polystyrene microplastics and releases dissolved organic matter, including plastic additives, into the surrounding water. Greater UV exposure produced more complex chemical mixtures with higher levels of potentially toxic compounds. The findings are important because sunlight-driven breakdown of microplastics in the environment may release harmful chemicals into water sources that people use for drinking and recreation.
Solar radiation stimulates release of semi-labile dissolved organic matter from microplastics
Researchers found that solar radiation causes microplastics to release dissolved organic matter into seawater, with low-density polyethylene releasing about five times more carbon per gram per day than polystyrene. The released organic compounds included nitrogen- and sulfur-containing molecules, and a portion overlapped with compounds found naturally in coastal waters. Incubation experiments showed that microbes could utilize 9-19% of this plastic-derived organic matter within 30 days, suggesting it becomes part of the marine carbon cycle.
Molecular properties of dissolved organic matter leached from microplastics during photoaging process
Researchers studied the molecular properties of dissolved organic matter that leaches from polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET microplastics during UV-driven photoaging. They found that PET released the most dissolved organic carbon, and that aging transformed protein-like components into humic-like substances. The leachate contained antioxidants, plasticizers, and antimicrobial agents, suggesting that aging microplastics release a complex mix of chemicals into aquatic environments.
Releasing characteristics of toxic chemicals from polystyrene microplastics in the aqueous environment during photoaging process
This study revealed that as polystyrene microplastics age under UV light, they release a growing number of toxic chemicals including organic compounds and heavy metals into surrounding water. The rate of chemical release increased dramatically with aging time, meaning that weathered microplastics in the environment are more chemically hazardous than fresh ones, with implications for water quality and human exposure.
Multi-Analytical Approach to Characterize the Degradation of Different Types of Microplastics: Identification and Quantification of Released Organic Compounds
Researchers studied how temperature and light exposure cause five common types of plastic to degrade and release organic chemical compounds. Using a solar simulation chamber, they tracked the breakdown products over time with multiple analytical techniques. The findings help identify which chemicals are released as plastics weather in the environment, which is important for understanding the secondary pollution caused by microplastic degradation.
Effects of UV light on physicochemical changes in thermoplastic polyurethanes: Mechanism and disinfection byproduct formation
Researchers examined how UV light exposure changes the properties of thermoplastic polyurethane microplastics in water and whether those changes affect the formation of harmful disinfection byproducts during water chlorination. They found that UV exposure broke the plastic into smaller fragments and released soluble chemicals that significantly increased byproduct formation after chlorination. The findings suggest that aging microplastics in water systems could contribute to the creation of potentially harmful chemicals during standard water treatment.
UV aging of microplastic polymers promotes their chemical transformation and byproduct formation upon chlorination
Researchers studied how UV aging of different microplastic polymers affects their behavior during water chlorination treatment. They found that UV aging significantly increased the reactivity of polyamide and polyester microplastics, promoting the release of harmful organic compounds and the formation of disinfection byproducts by more than 10-fold. The study reveals that weathered microplastics in drinking water systems may generate more toxic byproducts during standard chlorination than their pristine counterparts.
pH-Responsive leaching profiles from photodegradation of microplastics
Researchers systematically examined how UV photodegradation of microplastics triggers pH-dependent release of chemical additives, non-intentionally added substances, and oligomers under controlled degradation conditions, characterising leaching profiles across a range of plastic polymer types. The study identified that pH strongly governs which hazardous compounds leach from degrading plastics and at what concentrations, revealing a mechanism by which environmental conditions modulate chemical risk from microplastic pollution.
Photo-induced degradation of single-use polyethylene terephthalate microplastics under laboratory and outdoor environmental conditions
Researchers tested how sunlight, water, and physical wear work together to break down PET microplastics, the type commonly found in plastic bottles and food packaging. Over 60 days, combined UV light and water exposure caused significant chemical degradation of the plastic surfaces. This matters because as microplastics break down in the environment, they release smaller fragments and potentially harmful chemicals that are easier for organisms to absorb.
Investigating the Physicochemical Property Changes of Plastic Packaging Exposed to UV Irradiation and Different Aqueous Environments
Researchers investigated UV-driven degradation of polypropylene and PET packaging materials under different aqueous conditions, finding that UV exposure caused significant physicochemical changes including increased crystallinity and surface cracking that contribute to microplastic formation.
Effects of UV-based oxidation processes on the degradation of microplastic: Fragmentation, organic matter release, toxicity and disinfection byproduct formation
This study examined how UV-based water treatment processes break down microplastics, finding that while the treatments fragment the plastics into smaller pieces, they also release potentially toxic organic compounds. The smaller fragments and released chemicals may actually pose greater risks than the original microplastics. This is an important finding because it suggests that some water purification methods could unintentionally make microplastic pollution more hazardous to human health.
Degradation of polypropylene : proportion of microplastics formed and assessment of their density.
This study quantified microplastic formation during UV degradation of polypropylene and characterized the chemical changes in the polymer structure caused by photooxidation. UV exposure was shown to generate new particles and alter chemical composition in ways that may change microplastic toxicity and environmental behavior.