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Ma W, He J, Han L, Ma C, Cai Y, Guo X, Yang Z. Hydrophilic Fraction of Dissolved Organic Matter Largely Facilitated Microplastics Photoaging: Insights from Redox Properties and Reactive Oxygen Species. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38848335 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c11111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) exists widely in natural water, which inevitably influences microplastic (MP) photoaging. Nevertheless, the impacts of DOM fractions with diverse molecular structures on MP photoaging remain to be elucidated. This study explored the photoaging mechanisms of polylactic acid (PLA)-MPs and polystyrene (PS)-MPs in the presence of DOM and its subfractions (hydrophobic acid (HPOA), hydrophobic neutral (HPON), and hydrophilic (HPI)). Across DOM fractions, HPI exhibited the highest electron accepting capacity (23 μmol e- (mg C)-1) due to its abundant tannin-like species (36.8%) with carboxylic groups, which facilitated more reactive oxygen species generation (particularly hydroxyl radical), leading to the strongest photoaging rate of two MPs by HPI. However, the sequences of bond cleavage during photoaging of each MPs were not clearly shifted as revealed by two-dimensional infrared correlation spectra. Inconspicuous effects on the extent of PS- and PLA-MPs photoaging were observed for HPOA and HPON, respectively. This was mainly ascribed to the occurrence of inhibitory mechanisms (e.g., light-shielding and quenching effect) counteracting the reactive oxygen species-promoting effects. The findings identified the HPI fraction of DOM for promoting PS- and PLA-MPs photoaging rate and first constructed a link among DOM molecular structures, redox properties, and effects on MP photoaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Ma
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiehong He
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lanfang Han
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chuanxin Ma
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yanpeng Cai
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaoyu Guo
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Zhifeng Yang
- Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Ecological Security and Green Development, Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Wang Q, Chen H, Gu W, Wang S, Li Y. Biodegradation of aged polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics by yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172243. [PMID: 38582118 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Globally, over 287 million tons of plastic are disposed in landfills, rivers, and oceans or are burned every year. The results are devastating to our ecosystems, wildlife and human health. One promising remedy is the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larvae), which has proved capable of degrading microplastics (MPs). This paper presents a new investigation into the biodegradation of aged polyethylene (PE) film and polystyrene (PS) foam by the Tenebrio molitor larvae. After a 35 - day feeding period, both pristine and aged MPs can be consumed by larvae. Even with some inhibitions in larvae growth due to the limited nutrient supply of aged MPs, when compared with pristine MPs, the aged MPs were depolymerized more efficiently in gut microbiota based on gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. With the change in surface chemical properties, the metabolic intermediates of aged MPs contained more oxygen-containing functional groups and shortened long-chain alkane, which was confirmed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). High-throughput sequencing revealed that the richness and diversity of gut microbes were restricted in the MPs-fed group. Although MPs had a negative effect on the relative abundance of the two dominant bacteria Enterococcaceae and Lactobacillaceae, the aged MPs may promote the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae and Streptococcaceae. Redundancy analysis (RDA) further verified that the aged MPs are effectively biodegraded by yellow mealworm. This work provides new insights into insect-mediated mechanisms of aged MP degradation and promising strategies for MP sustainable and efficient solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiongjie Wang
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, China.
| | - Huijuan Chen
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, China
| | - Wanqing Gu
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, China
| | - Shurui Wang
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, China
| | - Yinghua Li
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, China
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Yan R, Li J, Li J, Liu Y, Xu Z, Ge X, Lu X, Yadav KK, Obaidullah AJ, Tang Y. Deciphering morphology patterns of environmental microfibers: Insights into source apportionment. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 259:121814. [PMID: 38820730 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Microfibers, a prevalent form of microplastics, undergo diverse environmental interactions resulting in varied morphological changes. These changes can offer insights into their environmental trajectories. Despite its importance, comprehensive studies on microfiber morphology are scarce. This study collected 233 microfibers from the East China Sea and South China Sea. Based on morphological features observed in microscopic images of microfibers, such as curvature, cross-sectional shapes, diameter variations, and crack shapes, we identified a general morphological pattern, classifying the environmental microfibers into three distinct morphological types. Our findings highlight noticeable differences in morphological metrics (e.g., length, diameter, and surface roughness) across three types, especially the diameter. Microfibers of Type I had an average diameter of 19.45 ± 4.93 μm, significantly smaller than Type II (263.00 ± 75.15 μm) and Type III (299.68 ± 85.62 μm). Within the three-dimensional (3D) space fully defined by these quantitative parameters, the clustering results of microfibers are also consistent with the proposed morphology pattern, with each category showing a potential correlation with specific chemical compositions. Type I microfibers correspond to synthetic cellulose, while 94.79 % of Types II and III are composed of polymers. Notably, we also validated the great applicability of the morphology categories to microfibers in diverse environmental compartments, including water and sediments in nearshore and offshore areas. This classification aids in the efficient determination of microfiber sources and the assessment of their ecological risks, marking a significant advancement in microfiber environmental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoqun Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Jiangpeng Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Yang Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Zhe Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Xinyu Ge
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Xiao Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Krishna Kumar Yadav
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Madhyanchal Professional University, Ratibad, Bhopal, 462044, India; Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences Research Group, Scientific Research Center, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, Nasiriyah 64001, Iraq
| | - Ahmad J Obaidullah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yuanyuan Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.
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Peng X, Yang T, Guo S, Zhou J, Chen G, Zhu Z, Tan J. Revealing chemical release from plastic debris in animals' digestive systems using nontarget and suspect screening and simulating digestive fluids. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123793. [PMID: 38513944 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Plastic debris in the environment are not only pollutants but may also be important sources of a variety of contaminants. This work simulated kinetics and potential of chemical leaching from plastic debris in animals' digestive systems by incubating polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cord particles in artificial digestive fluids combined with nontarget and suspect screening based on UHPLC-Orbitrap HRMS. Impacts of particle size, aging, and digestive fluid were investigated to elucidate mechanisms of chemical leaching. Thousands of chemical features were screened in the leachates of PVC cord particles in the artificial digestive fluids, among which >60% were unknown. Bisphenol A (BPA) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the dominant identified CL1 compounds. Finer size and aging of the PVC particles and prolonged incubation time enhanced chemical release, resulting in greater numbers, higher levels, and more complexity in components of the released chemicals. The gastrointestinal fluid was more favorable for chemical leaching than the gastric fluid, with greater numbers and higher levels. Hundreds to thousands of chemical features were screened and filtered in the leachates of consumer plastic products, including food contact products (FCPs) in the artificial bird gastrointestinal fluid. In addition to BPA and DEHP, several novel bisphenol analogues were identified in the leachate of at least one FCP. The results revealed that once plastic debris are ingested by animals, hundreds to thousands of chemicals may be released into animals' digestive tracts in hours, posing potential synergistic risks of plastic debris and chemicals to plastic-ingesting animals. Future research should pay more attentions to identification, ecotoxicities, and environmental fate of vast amounts of unknown chemicals potentially released from plastics in order to gain full pictures of plastic pollution in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
| | - Tao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guangshi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zewen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jianhua Tan
- Guangzhou Quality Supervision and Testing Institute, Guangzhou, 510050, China
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Fernandes AN, Lara LZ, De Falco F, Turner A, Thompson RC. Effect of the age of garments used under real-life conditions on microfibre release from polyester and cotton clothing. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123806. [PMID: 38493865 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The release of microfibres from fabrics during laundering represents an important source of plastic and natural microfibres to aquatic environments. Garment age - how long the garment has been used - could be a key factor influencing the rate of release, yet most studies of microfibre shedding have only assessed newly manufactured products. To this end, we quantified microfibre release during laundering in domestic washing machines from polyester (PES) and cotton garments (n = 38) used in real-life conditions for periods between 1 and 31 years with different use intensities. In addition, to better understand the factors involved in microfibre releases, fibre composition (different PES percentages) and type of garments (T-shirts, polo shirts, uniforms, sports shirts, and sweatshirts) were examined. All garments released microfibres during washing, while the older garments presented higher releases for clothing with a PES/cotton blend. In general, older garments (15-31 years) released nearly twice as many fibres when washed than newer garments (1-10 years). The mass of microfibres released was consistently greater in garments with a higher proportion of cotton than PES (up to 1.774 mg g-1 in 2% PES and 0.366 mg g-1 in 100% PES fabrics), suggesting that cotton might be released more readily such that the relative proportion of PES in the garments could increase over time. Additionally, SEM images showed fibre damage, with fibres from the older garments exhibiting more peeling and splitting. While it is important to note that the overall environmental footprint is undoubtedly reduced by keeping garments in use for longer periods of time, older garments were shown to release more microfibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia N Fernandes
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, Brazil; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Larissa Z Lara
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Francesca De Falco
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Andrew Turner
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Richard C Thompson
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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6
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Iliopoulos F, Tu D, Pence IJ, Li X, Ghosh P, Luke MC, Raney SG, Rantou E, Evans CL. Determining topical product bioequivalence with stimulated Raman scattering microscopy. J Control Release 2024; 367:864-876. [PMID: 38346503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Generic drugs are essential for affordable medicine and improving accessibility to treatments. Bioequivalence (BE) is typically demonstrated by assessing a generic product's pharmacokinetics (PK) relative to a reference-listed drug (RLD). Accurately estimating cutaneous PK (cPK) at or near the site of action can be challenging for locally acting topical products. Certain cPK approaches are available for assessing local bioavailability (BA) in the skin. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy has unique capabilities enabling continuous, high spatial and temporal resolution and quantitative imaging of drugs within the skin. In this paper, we developed an approach based on SRS and a polymer-based standard reference for the evaluation of topical product BA and BE in human skin ex vivo. BE assessment of tazarotene-containing formulations was achieved using cPK parameters obtained within different skin microstructures. The establishment of BE between the RLD and an approved generic product was successfully demonstrated. Interestingly, within the constraints of the current study design the results suggest similar BA between the tested gel formulation and the reference cream formulation, despite the differences in the formulation/dosage form. Another formulation containing polyethylene glycol as the vehicle was demonstrated to be not bioequivalent to the RLD. Compared to using the SRS approach without a standard reference, the developed approach enabled more consistent and reproducible results, which is crucial in BE assessment. The abundant information from the developed approach can help to systematically identify key areas of study design that will enable a better comparison of topical products and support an assessment of BE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fotis Iliopoulos
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown 02129, MA, USA
| | - Dandan Tu
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown 02129, MA, USA
| | - Isaac J Pence
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown 02129, MA, USA
| | - Xiaolei Li
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown 02129, MA, USA
| | - Priyanka Ghosh
- Office of Research and Standards, Office of Generic Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring 20993, MD, USA
| | - Markham C Luke
- Office of Research and Standards, Office of Generic Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring 20993, MD, USA
| | - Sam G Raney
- Office of Research and Standards, Office of Generic Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring 20993, MD, USA
| | - Elena Rantou
- Office of Biostatistics, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring 20993, MD, USA
| | - Conor L Evans
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown 02129, MA, USA.
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Chen C, Du R, Tang J, Wang B, Li F, Zhang Z, Yu G. Characterization of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter in freshwater: Effects of light irradiation and polymer types. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108536. [PMID: 38471263 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated the impacts of light irradiation and polymer types on the leaching behavior of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from microplastics (MPs) in freshwater. Polypropylene had the highest leaching capacity of DOM after photoaging, followed by polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). While similarly low levels of DOM were observed in the remaining 5 MP suspensions under UV irradiation and in almost all MP suspensions (except PA) under darkness. These suggest that the photooxidation of some buoyant plastics may influence the carbon cycling of nature waters. Among 9 MP-derived leachates, PET leachates had the highest chromophoric DOM concentration and aromaticity, probably owing to the special benzene rings and carbonyl groups in PET structures and its fast degradation rate. Protein-like substances were the primary fluorescent DOM in MP suspensions (except PS), especially in darkness no other fluorescent substances were found. Considering the bio-labile properties of proteins together, MPs regardless of floating or suspended in an aquatic environment may have prevalent long-term effects on microbial activities. Besides, from monomers to hexamers with newly formed chemical bonds were identified in UV-irradiated MP suspensions. These results will contribute to a deep insight into the potential ecological effects related to MP degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunzhao Chen
- Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Roujia Du
- School of Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technologies, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Tang
- Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Bin Wang
- School of Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technologies, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Gang Yu
- Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China; School of Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory for Emerging Organic Contaminants Control, Beijing Laboratory of Environmental Frontier Technologies, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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8
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Mao S, He C, Niu G, Ma Y. Effect of aging on the release of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from biodegradable and petroleum-based microplastics into soil. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 272:116006. [PMID: 38295739 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Due to microplastics (MPs) being widely distributed in soil, the use of advanced oxidation to remediate organic-contaminated soils may accelerate the aging of MPs in soil and impact the release of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a potential carcinogen used as a plasticizer in plastics, from MPs. In this study, persulfate oxidation (PO) and temperature treatment (TT) were used to treat biodegradable and petroleum-based MPs, including polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS). The methods used for evaluating the characteristics changes of MP were X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and water contact angle measurement. The effects of aging on DEHP release from MPs were investigated via soil incubation. The results showed PO and TT led to increased surface roughness, oxygen-containing functional group content, and hydrophilicity of the MPs with prolonged aging, consequently accelerating the release of DEHP from the MPs. Interestingly, PLA aged faster than PVC and PS under similar conditions. After 30 days of PO treatment, DEHP release from PLA into the soil increased 0.789-fold, exceeding the increase from PVC (0.454-fold) and PS (0.287-fold). This suggests that aged PLA poses a higher ecological risk than aged PVC or PS. Furthermore, PO treatment resulted in the oxidation and degradation of DEHP on the MP surface. After 30 days of PO treatment, the DEHP content in PLA, PVC, and PS decreased by 19.1%, 25.8%, and 23.5%, respectively. Specifying the types of MPs studied and the environmental conditions would provide a more precise context for the results. These findings provide novel insights into the fate of biodegradable and petroleum-based MPs and the potential ecotoxicity arising from advanced oxidation remediation in contaminated soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohua Mao
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Chiquan He
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Guoyao Niu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yangyang Ma
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
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9
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Pinlova B, Nowack B. From cracks to secondary microplastics - surface characterization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) during weathering. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141305. [PMID: 38331266 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Secondary microplastics are a product of the fragmentation of plastic debris. Despite concerns regarding the omnipresence of microplastics in the environment, knowledge about the mechanics of their actual formation is still limited. Fragmentation is usually linked to weathering, which alters the properties of the plastic and allows fragmentation to occur. Therefore, in this study, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) samples were exposed to artificial UV light or a combination of UV light and water for a total of three months to simulate natural weathering. The samples included three forms of PET with different production histories: pellets, yarns, and films. The surface alterations to the samples during weathering were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Results indicated that the three different types of PET developed markedly different surface defects and also exhibited signs of weathering within different time frames. Differences were also found between samples exposed only to UV and those exposed to UV and submerged in water. In water, the first surface changes were spotted within 30 days of initial submersion and later developed into an organized crack network. Upon the introduction of mild mechanical forces, pieces of the weathered surface started to delaminate. The fragments from films had an elongated shape with a median size of 16.1 × 2.1 × 1.8 μm, resembling a fibre. If the weathered surface of a film were to detach completely, it could create 1.4-7.9 million microplastic fragments/cm2. For pellets, this number would range between 0.4 and 2.2 million microplastics/cm2. In addition to particle formation by surface delamination, particles also emerged on the weathered surfaces of all studied samples, presenting another possible source of micro-sized particles during weathering. Overall, the results of this work show that the weathering of plastics and the formation of microplastics are heavily influenced not only by the weathering mechanism but also by the type and production history of the polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Pinlova
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Nowack
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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10
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Song S, van Dijk F, Vasse GF, Liu Q, Gosselink IF, Weltjens E, Remels AHV, de Jager MH, Bos S, Li C, Stoeger T, Rehberg M, Kutschke D, van Eck GWA, Wu X, Willems SH, Boom DHA, Kooter IM, Spierings D, Wardenaar R, Cole M, Nawijn MC, Salvati A, Gosens R, Melgert BN. Inhalable Textile Microplastic Fibers Impair Airway Epithelial Differentiation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2024; 209:427-443. [PMID: 37971785 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202211-2099oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Microplastics are a pressing global concern, and inhalation of microplastic fibers has been associated with interstitial and bronchial inflammation in flock workers. However, how microplastic fibers affect the lungs is unknown. Objectives: Our aim was to assess the effects of 12 × 31 μm nylon 6,6 (nylon) and 15 × 52 μm polyethylene terephthalate (polyester) textile microplastic fibers on lung epithelial growth and differentiation. Methods: We used human and murine alveolar and airway-type organoids as well as air-liquid interface cultures derived from primary lung epithelial progenitor cells and incubated these with either nylon or polyester fibers or nylon leachate. In addition, mice received one dose of nylon fibers or nylon leachate, and, 7 days later, organoid-forming capacity of isolated epithelial cells was investigated. Measurements and Main Results: We observed that nylon microfibers, more than polyester, inhibited developing airway organoids and not established ones. This effect was mediated by components leaching from nylon. Epithelial cells isolated from mice exposed to nylon fibers or leachate also formed fewer airway organoids, suggesting long-lasting effects of nylon components on epithelial cells. Part of these effects was recapitulated in human air-liquid interface cultures. Transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of Hoxa5 after exposure to nylon fibers. Inhibiting Hoxa5 during nylon exposure restored airway organoid formation, confirming Hoxa5's pivotal role in the effects of nylon. Conclusions: These results suggest that components leaching from nylon 6,6 may especially harm developing airways and/or airways undergoing repair, and we strongly encourage characterization in more detail of both the hazard of and the exposure to microplastic fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Song
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
| | - Fransien van Dijk
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
| | - Gwenda F Vasse
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
| | - Qiongliang Liu
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Health and Immunity, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Irene F Gosselink
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ellen Weltjens
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Alex H V Remels
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Chenxi Li
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Health and Immunity, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Stoeger
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Health and Immunity, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Rehberg
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Health and Immunity, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - David Kutschke
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Health and Immunity, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | | | - Xinhui Wu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
| | | | - Devin H A Boom
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Utrecht, the Netherlands; and
| | - Ingeborg M Kooter
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Utrecht, the Netherlands; and
| | | | - René Wardenaar
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, and
| | - Matthew Cole
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Martijn C Nawijn
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anna Salvati
- Department of Nanomedicine & Drug Targeting, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Reinoud Gosens
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
| | - Barbro N Melgert
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
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11
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Petrov A, Salopek Čubrić I, Čubrić G. Influence of Aging on the Physical Properties of Knitted Polymeric Materials. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:513. [PMID: 38399891 PMCID: PMC10891832 DOI: 10.3390/polym16040513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, as consumer expectations have increased worldwide, the importance of polymer materials performance has been raised to a new level. Efforts are required to produce a high-quality product that maintains its quality despite aging factors in certain geographical locations. In the experimental part of this study, polyester materials produced from conventional and recycled yarns, further intended for the production of sportswear, were exposed to natural weathering. Before and after the exposure, the following material properties were investigated: material surface appearance, material thickness, mass per unit area, horizontal and vertical density, surface roughness, tensile properties (force at break, elongation at break), water vapor permeability, liquid dispersion and drying of the material. The results indicate that the surface mass and thickness of all exposed polyester materials decreased after aging due to material shrinkage. The results indicated that prolonged aging negatively affected the values of elongation and force at break. The recycled material exhibited the highest overall decreases in elongation and force at break, but lower surface roughness. In addition, recycled material exhibited a shorter drying time than that of conventional material, both before and after aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonija Petrov
- Department of Clothing Technology, University of Zagreb Faculty of Textile Technology, Prilaz baruna Filipovića 28 a, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Ivana Salopek Čubrić
- Department of Textile Design and Management, University of Zagreb Faculty of Textile Technology, Prilaz baruna Filipovića 28 a, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Goran Čubrić
- Department of Clothing Technology, University of Zagreb Faculty of Textile Technology, Prilaz baruna Filipovića 28 a, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia;
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12
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Kaing V, Guo Z, Sok T, Kodikara D, Breider F, Yoshimura C. Photodegradation of biodegradable plastics in aquatic environments: Current understanding and challenges. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 911:168539. [PMID: 37981156 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Direct and indirect photolysis are important abiotic processes in aquatic environments through which plastics can be transformed physically and chemically. Transport of biodegradable plastics in water is influenced by vertical mixing and turbulent flow, which make biodegradable plastics remain susceptible to sunlight and photolysis despite their high density. In general, biodegradable plastics are composed of ester containing polymers (e.g., poly(butylene succinate), polyhydroxyalkanoate, and polylactic acid), whereas non-biodegradable plastics are composed of long chains of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons in their backbones (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene). Based on the reviewed knowledge and discussion, we may hypothesize that 1) direct photolysis is more pronounced for non-biodegradation than for biodegradable plastics, 2) smaller plastics such as micro/nano-plastics are more prone to photodegradation and photo-transformation by direct and indirect photolysis, 3) the production rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the surface of biodegradable plastics is higher than that of non-biodegradable plastics, 4) the photodegradation of biodegradable plastics may be promoted by ROS produced from biodegradable plastics themselves, and 5) the subsequent reactions of ROS are more active on biodegradable plastics than non-biodegradable plastics. Moreover, micro/nanoplastics derived from biodegradable plastics serve as more effective carriers of organic pollutants than those from non-biodegradable plastics and thus biodegradable plastics may not necessarily be more ecofriendly than non-biodegradable plastics. However, biodegradable plastics have been largely unexplored from the viewpoint of direct or indirect photolysis. Roles of reactive oxygen species originating from biodegradable plastics should be further explored for comprehensively understanding the photodegradation of biodegradable plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinhteang Kaing
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan; Faculty of Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Russian Federation Blvd., P.O. Box 86, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Zhongyu Guo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Ty Sok
- Faculty of Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Russian Federation Blvd., P.O. Box 86, Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Research and Innovation Center, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Dilini Kodikara
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Florian Breider
- EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Central Environmental Laboratory, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ENAC, station 2, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Chihiro Yoshimura
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
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13
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Niu Z, Curto M, Le Gall M, Demeyer E, Asselman J, Janssen CR, Dhakal HN, Davies P, Catarino AI, Everaert G. Accelerated fragmentation of two thermoplastics (polylactic acid and polypropylene) into microplastics after UV radiation and seawater immersion. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 271:115981. [PMID: 38242046 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.115981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
To better understand the fate and assess the ingestible fraction of microplastics (by aquatic organisms), it is essential to quantify and characterize of their released from larger items under environmental realistic conditions. However, the current information on the fragmentation and size-based characteristics of released microplastics, for example from bio-based thermoplastics, is largely unknown. The goal of our work was to assess the fragmentation and release of microplastics, under ultraviolet (UV) radiation and in seawater, from polylactic acid (PLA) items, a bio-based polymer, and from polypropylene (PP) items, a petroleum-based polymer. To do so, we exposed pristine items of PLA and PP, immersed in filtered natural seawater, to accelerated UV radiation for 57 and 76 days, simulating 18 and 24 months of mean natural solar irradiance in Europe. Our results indicated that 76-day UV radiation induced the fragmentation of parent plastic items and the microplastics (50 - 5000 µm) formation from both PP and PLA items. The PP samples (48 ± 26 microplastics / cm2) released up to nine times more microplastics than PLA samples (5 ± 2 microplastics / cm2) after a 76-day UV exposure, implying that the PLA tested items had a lower fragmentation rate than PP. The particles' length of released microplastics was parameterized using a power law exponent (α), to assess their size distribution. The obtained α values were 3.04 ± 0.11 and 2.54 ± 0.06 (-) for 76-day UV weathered PP and PLA, respectively, meaning that PLA microplastics had a larger sized microplastics fraction than PP particles. With respect to their two-dimensional shape, PLA microplastics also had lower width-to-length ratio (0.51 ± 0.17) and greater fiber-shaped fractions (16%) than PP microplastics (0.57 ± 0.17% and 11%, respectively). Overall, the bio-based PLA items under study were more resistant to fragmentation and release of microplastics than the petroleum-based PP tested items, and the parameterized characteristics of released microplastics were polymer-dependent. Our work indicates that even though bio-based plastics may have a slower release of fragmented particles under UV radiation compared to conventional polymer types, they still have the potential to act as a source of microplastics in the marine environment, with particles being available to biota within ingestible size fractions, if not removed before major fragmentation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyue Niu
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium; Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Bluebridge Building, Ostend Science Park 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium.
| | - Marco Curto
- Advanced Polymers and Composites (APC) Research Group, School of mechanical and Design Engineering, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3DJ, UK
| | - Maelenn Le Gall
- Marine Structures Laboratory, IFREMER, Centre de Bretagne, 29280, France
| | - Elke Demeyer
- Functional Thermoplastic Textiles, Centexbel, Industriepark Zwijnaarde 70, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Jana Asselman
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Bluebridge Building, Ostend Science Park 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium
| | - Colin R Janssen
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Bluebridge Building, Ostend Science Park 1, 8400 Ostend, Belgium
| | - Hom Nath Dhakal
- Advanced Polymers and Composites (APC) Research Group, School of mechanical and Design Engineering, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3DJ, UK
| | - Peter Davies
- Marine Structures Laboratory, IFREMER, Centre de Bretagne, 29280, France
| | - Ana Isabel Catarino
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Gert Everaert
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
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14
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Cheng S, Jessica, Yoshikawa K, Cross JS. Influence of synthetic and natural microfibers on the growth, substance exchange, energy accumulation, and oxidative stress of field-collected microalgae compared with microplastic fragment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:167936. [PMID: 37875192 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic microfibers (MFs), which are Microplastics (MPs), have not received attention commensurate with their abundance in the environment. Currently, limited studies on MFs have focused on their effects on marine organisms. It is therefore necessary to conduct exposure experiments of MFs on freshwater organisms to provide reference data for the ecological risk assessment of MFs. As a primary producer in freshwater ecosystems, microalgae have an ecological niche that is highly overlapping with that of MFs. In this study, we examined the effects of MFs on the growth of Chlorella and indicators of oxidative stress to examine their potential risk on the microalgae population. The results showed that inhibition rate of microalgae increased with MF concentration in the range of 0.01-100 mg/L. Compared with natural fibers such as cotton and wool, PET and PP fibers showed significant growth inhibition, but less so when in fragment form with the same material and concentration. PP and PET particles, whether fibers or fragments, increased the total antioxidant capacity of microalgal cells and caused oxidative damage. To determine the influence of MFs on the interaction of cells in the environment, the exchanged substances and accumulated energy of microalgae cells were also detected. The results indicated that PP and PET fibers, as well as fragments, increased the diameter and membrane permeability of microalgae cell, thus interfering with the cell division and substance exchange processes. PET fibers and fragments showed different interactions at the level of individual cells and populations. This suggests that the evaluation of MPs should consider examinations from cells to population and even community levels in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Cheng
- Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Jessica
- Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kunio Yoshikawa
- Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jeffrey S Cross
- Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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Chen R, Zhao X, Wu X, Wang J, Wang X, Liang W. Research progress on occurrence characteristics and source analysis of microfibers in the marine environment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115834. [PMID: 38061148 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic microfiber pollution is a growing concern in the marine environment. However, critical issues associated with microfiber origins in marine environments have not been resolved. Herein, the potential sources of marine microfibers are systematically reviewed. The obtained results indicate that surface runoffs are primary contributors that transport land-based microfibers to oceans, and the breakdown of larger fiber plastic waste due to weathering processes is also a notable secondary source of marine microfibers. Additionally, there are three main approaches for marine microplastic source apportionment, namely, anthropogenic source classification, statistical analysis, and numerical simulations based on the Lagrangian particle tracking method. These methods establish the connections between characteristics, transport pathways and sources of microplastics, which provides new insights to further conduct microfiber source apportionment. This study helps to better understand sources analysis and transport pathways of microfibers into oceans and presents a scientific basis to further control microfiber pollution in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rouzheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 10012, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 10012, China.
| | - Xiaowei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 10012, China
| | - Junyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 10012, China
| | - Xia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 10012, China
| | - Weigang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 10012, China
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16
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Rathinamoorthy R, Raja Balasaraswathi S. Impact of sewing on microfiber release from polyester fabric during laundry. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166247. [PMID: 37574077 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Microfibers released from textile materials are receiving greater attention due to their severe adverse effects on the environment. Although mitigation strategies have been developed for laundering, researchers uphold that it is crucial to start mitigating at the source. In that aspect, this research aims to analyze the cutting and sewing methods of knitted fabrics and their impact on the microfiber release of garments during laundry. The results of the study have confirmed that cutting and sewing methods have a significant impact on the microfiber release of a garment. The analysis of different cutting methods showed that laser and ultrasonic cutting methods reduce the microfiber release up to 20 times compared to the conventional scissor-cut edges. While comparing the different stitch types, the overlock stitch type showed reduced shedding than the other stitch types (flatlock stitch and single needle lockstitch). Our results also showed that the use of more needles increases the microfiber emission among different stitch variations of the same stitch type. For instance, a 45.27 % increase in microfiber emission was reported with the 4-thread overlock stitch (2 needles) than with the 3-thread stitch (1 needle). Regarding seam type, the proposed edge finishing seam (EFb) was effective in reducing 93 % of microfiber release as the edges are completely covered. When the effect of stitch density is considered, in the case of single needle lockstitch and flatlock stitch, the microfiber release is reduced with increased stitch density. However, a different trend was noted in the overlock stitch, which needed detailed exploration in the future. The results confirmed that a proper selection of stitch, stitch density, and seam type would reduce the microfiber release from a garment by up to 64.6 %.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Rathinamoorthy
- Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, India.
| | - S Raja Balasaraswathi
- Department of Fashion Technology, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru 560102, India
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17
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Shi Y, Huang H, Zheng L, Tian Y, Gong Z, Wang J, Li W, Gao S. Releases of microplastics and chemicals from nonwoven polyester fabric-based polyurethane synthetic leather by photoaging. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:166584. [PMID: 37634718 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The nonwoven PET fabrics are chemically, mechanically and thermally treated fiber aggregate without weaving, knitting or braiding, which could be used as a base to make polyurethane (PU) synthetic leather through a series of processing. Our research systematically compared the photoaging behaviors of pure non-woven PET base fabric (NPET-P) and PU synthetic leather (nonwoven PET-base fabrics with PU coating, NPET-U), and their possibilities for microplastic fibers (MPFs) generation and chemical transformation in water. NPET-U was photoaged to a higher oxidation degree with higher O/C ratios and more distinct changes in chemical structures. The amount of MPFs released from NPET-U (1.98 × 107 g/fibers) was significantly lower than that from NPET-P (4.76 × 107 g/fibers) after 360 h light irradiation (p value <0.05) with a slower degradation rate and delayed MPFs release. The lengths and diameters of released MPFs from NPET-U varied within a smaller range than that from NPET-P exposed to UV light irradiation. Natural sunlight aging of fabrics for 365 days was found to be equivalent to approximately 85.3-127.2 h UV aging in the laboratory, which indicated the lab accelerated experiments was extraordinarily intense to simulate natural sunlight aging. Furthermore, abundant calcium and sulfur-contained chemicals were detected in original fabrics and the leachate of 360 h light-aged fabrics using the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The organic components of the leachate were separated according to their molecular weight with the changes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and the UV response over aging time. UV stimulation aggravated the role of plastic polymers as disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors. Nevertheless, although NPET-U could produce more nitrogen-contained chemicals, it had similar formation potentials of nitrogen-containing DBPs as NPET-P. The discussion lucubrated the potential risks of the production of MPFs and chemical release in the leachate with regard to combined plastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Hexinyue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Lezhou Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Yechao Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Zhimin Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Jiahao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Wentao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Shixiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
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18
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Rohrbach S, Gkoutselis G, Hink L, Weig AR, Obst M, Diekmann A, Ho A, Rambold G, Horn MA. Microplastic polymer properties as deterministic factors driving terrestrial plastisphere microbiome assembly and succession in the field. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2681-2697. [PMID: 36224114 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental microplastic (MP) is ubiquitous in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems providing artificial habitats for microbes. Mechanisms of MP colonization, MP polymer impacts, and effects on soil microbiomes are largely unknown in terrestrial systems. Therefore, we experimentally tested the hypothesis that MP polymer type is an important deterministic factor affecting MP community assembly by incubating common MP polymer types in situ in landfill soil for 14 months. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing indicated that MP polymers have specific impacts on plastisphere microbiomes, which are subsets of the soil microbiome. Chloroflexota, Gammaproteobacteria, certain Nitrososphaerota, and Nanoarchaeota explained differences among MP polymers and time points. Plastisphere microbial community composition derived from different MP diverged over time and was enriched in potential pathogens. PICRUSt predictions of pathway abundances and quantitative PCR of functional marker genes indicated that MP polymers exerted an ambivalent effect on genetic potentials of biogeochemical cycles. Overall, the data indicate that (i) polymer type as deterministic factor rather than stochastic factors drives plastisphere community assembly, (ii) MP impacts greenhouse gas metabolism, xenobiotic degradation and pathogen distribution, and (iii) MP serves as an ideal model system for studying fundamental questions in microbial ecology such as community assembly mechanisms in terrestrial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Rohrbach
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Linda Hink
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alfons R Weig
- Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Martin Obst
- Experimental Biogeochemistry, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Astrid Diekmann
- Deutsches Institut für Kautschuktechnologie e.V., Hannover, Germany
| | - Adrian Ho
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Gerhard Rambold
- Department of Mycology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Marcus A Horn
- Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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19
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Rathinamoorthy R, Raja Balasaraswathi S. Impact of quantification method on microfiber assessment - A comparative analysis between mass and count based methods. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 347:119040. [PMID: 37751666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Microfiber from textiles is one of the new anthropogenic pollutants which attracted a wide range of researchers. Domestic laundry, being the most common cause of microfiber release from textiles, is widely studied. Studies exhibit a broad range of quantities of microfibers owing to the distinct quantification methodologies employed due to their convenience and resource availability. Out of several such estimation processes, reporting microfiber quantity in numbers or mass (mg or g) is quite common with respect to the unit area or weight of the textile used. However, results reported by different literature vary significantly. Hence, this study aims to analyze the microfiber release from knitted polyester fabric using count- and mass-based methods. Four different fabrics were used for this study with three different counting processes from literature along with direct weight difference estimation. The results of the direct counting method showed that the average microfiber release of selected fabrics is 13.28-33.16 microfibers per sq.cm, whereas, the direct weight estimation showed an average weight of 0.0664 ± 0.0289 mg/sq.cm. The subsequent conversion showed a release of 887.89 ± 633.49 microfibers/sq.cm of the fabric. Further, the microfiber mass was also estimated using the number of microfiber count and found that a sq.cm of fabric releases up to 0.0010-0.0024 mg of microfibers. While comparing the results, the weight-based estimation showed a significantly higher microfiber release (41.3-42.9 times) than the direct counting method. The deposition of surfactants in detergents, contaminants from the water, atmospheric contaminants, and finishes released from the fabric can be the sources of additional weights noted in the direct mass estimation. As the weight-based method is quite simple and the fastest way to quantify the microfibers, future studies must focus on this area to reduce the error percentage in quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Rathinamoorthy
- Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, 641004, India.
| | - S Raja Balasaraswathi
- Department of Fashion Technology, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, 641004, India
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20
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Qi X, Ji M, Yin CF, Zhou NY, Liu Y. Glacier as a source of novel polyethylene terephthalate hydrolases. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2822-2833. [PMID: 37775503 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a major component of microplastic contamination globally, which is now detected in pristine environments including Polar and mountain glaciers. As a carbon-rich molecule, PET could be a carbon source for microorganisms dwelling in glacier habitats. Thus, glacial microorganisms may be potential PET degraders with novel PET hydrolases. Here, we obtained 414 putative PET hydrolase sequences by searching a global glacier metagenome dataset. Metagenomes from the Alps and Tibetan glaciers exhibited a higher relative abundance of putative PET hydrolases than those from the Arctic and Antarctic. Twelve putative PET hydrolase sequences were cloned and expressed, with one sequence (designated as GlacPETase) proven to degrade amorphous PET film with a similar performance as IsPETase, but with a higher thermostability. GlacPETase exhibited only 30% sequence identity to known active PET hydrolases with a novel disulphide bridge location and, therefore may represent a novel PET hydrolases class. The present work suggests that extreme carbon-poor environments may harbour a diverse range of known and novel PET hydrolases for carbon acquisition as an environmental adaptation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mukan Ji
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chao-Fan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning-Yi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongqin Liu
- Center for Pan-third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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21
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Yu Y, Tan S, Xie D, Li H, Chen H, Dang Y, Xiang M. Photoaged microplastics induce neurotoxicity associated with damage to serotonergic, glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and GABAergic neuronal systems in Caenorhabditis elegans. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165874. [PMID: 37517734 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that cause neurotoxicity in various organisms. MPs are typically affected by light irradiation and undergo photoaging. However, the neurotoxic effects of photoaged polystyrene (P-PS) and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, locomotion behaviors, neuronal development, neurotransmitter levels, and the expression of neurotransmission-related genes were investigated in Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to P-PS at environment-relevant concentrations (0.1-100 μg/L). The characterization results showed that photoaging accelerated the aging process and changed the physicochemical properties of the MPs. The toxicity results suggested that exposure to 1-100 μg/L P-PS caused more severe neurotoxicity than virgin polystyrene (V-PS) with endpoints of head thrashes, body bends, wavelength, and mean amplitude. Exposure to P-PS also altered the fluorescence intensity and neurodegeneration percentage of serotonergic, glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and aminobutyric acid (GABA) in transgenic nematodes. Similarly, significant reductions in the levels of these neurotransmitters were also observed. Based on Pearson's correlation, locomotion behaviors were negatively correlated with the neurotransmission of serotonin, glutamate, dopamine, and GABA. Further investigation suggested that the expression of neurotransmitter-related genes (e.g., tph-1, eat-4, and unc-46) was significantly altered in the nematodes. Collectively, the neurotoxic effects of P-PS were attributed to abnormal neurotransmission. This study highlights the potential toxicity of MPs photoaged under environmentally relevant conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjiang Yu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China.
| | - Shihui Tan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China; School of Public Health, China Medical University, Liaoning 110122, China
| | - Dongli Xie
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China; College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou 404100, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Haibo Chen
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China.
| | - Yao Dang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Mingdeng Xiang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510655, China
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22
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Forster NA, Wilson SC, Tighe MK. Weathering alters the profile of trace metals and organic compounds in leachates and bioavailability extracts from microplastics of trail running shoes. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 336:122431. [PMID: 37633437 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) from rubber outsoles of trail running shoes may contribute significantly to contamination in protected areas. In the natural environment, weathering processes can damage MP molecular structure and alter the mobility of inorganic and organic compounds used as additives in rubber. In this study, we characterised changes in the surface morphology, functional groups, and thermal stability of MPs weathered on and below the soil surface over 12 weeks, and analysed inorganic and organic additives in leachates (0.01M CaCl2) and bioaccessibility extracts (ethyl acetate). Weathering conditions included UVC irradiation at 25 °C and 80% soil moisture. Microplastics on the soil surface exhibited cracking, fragmentation, and increased extractability of zinc, sulphur, titanium and fatty acids. Microplastics below the soil surface were not significantly physically or chemically altered, however zinc leachability increased following extended weathering by up to 155%. Bioaccessibility of thiol, aromatic and cyclic organic additives decreased from both surface and sub-surface MPs over the 12 week weathering period, but there was evidence of an increase in transformation by-products. Microplastic toxicity may be significantly altered by environmental conditions and MP weathering. It is critical ecotoxicological studies use weathered MPs to assess impacts on rare and endemic species found in protected spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola A Forster
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, 2351, Australia.
| | - Susan C Wilson
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, 2351, Australia.
| | - Matthew K Tighe
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, 2351, Australia.
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23
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Peñalver R, Pérez-Álvarez MD, Arroyo-Manzanares N, Campillo N, Viñas P. Determination of extractable pollutants from microplastics to vegetables: Accumulation and incorporation into the food chain. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:140141. [PMID: 37696477 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
The presence and impacts of microplastics (MPs) are being extensively researched and reviewed, especially in the marine environment. However, mobility, transportation routes, and accumulation of leaching compounds such as additives in plastic waste including MPs are scarcely studied. Information regarding ecotoxicity and leachability of compounds related to MPs contamination in the environment is limited. Current work presents the levels of leachates from plastic materials in edible-root and non-edible root vegetables. Samples were analyzed by static headspace and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SHS-GC-MS) and the presence of 93 putative compounds was accurately monitored in the samples by the usage of Mass Spectrometry-Data Independent Analysis software. The application of chemometrics to the SHS-GC-MS dataset allowed differentiation between the levels of plastic related compounds in edible root and non-edible root vegetables, the former showing a higher content of plastic leachates. For SHS sampling, 3 g of the sample were incubated at 130 °C for 35 min in the HS vial and toluene and naphthalene were added as internal standards for quantification purposes. The developed SHS-GC-MS methodology is straightforward, reliable, and robust and allowed the quantification of sixteen plastic associated compounds in the samples studied in a range from 0.14 to 28800 ng g-1 corresponding to 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol and p,α-dimethylstyrene, respectively. Several of the quantified compounds pointed out to potential contamination of polystyrene and/or polyvinyl chloride MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Peñalver
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, E-30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - María Dolores Pérez-Álvarez
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, E-30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Natalia Arroyo-Manzanares
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, E-30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Natalia Campillo
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, E-30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pilar Viñas
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, E-30100, Murcia, Spain.
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24
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Kaur Brar P, Dhir A, Örmeci B. Impact of treatment chemicals on the morphology and molecular structure of microfibers and microplastic films in wastewater. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2023; 88:2201-2214. [PMID: 37966177 PMCID: wst_2023_311 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2023.311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of commonly used treatment chemicals on the morphology and molecular structure of microfibers (MFs) and microplastic films (MPFs) to determine whether significant changes could occur during wastewater treatment. MFs and MPFs were exposed to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2, pH 11), sodium hydroxide (NaOH, pH11), and hydrochloric acid (HCl, pH 3) at typical doses and exposure times used at wastewater treatment plants. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) were used to examine any morphological or chemical changes after the treatment. Morphological changes were observed in the form of cracks, and increased roughness was revealed in the SEM and 3-D surface images. The results showed that MFs were more resistant to surface degradation than MPFs. Moreover, intensity peaks of ATR-FTIR revealed some partial dislodgement of the bonds in both MFs and MPFs after chemical treatment, but the overall polymer structure remained intact. The changes that occur on the surface of MFs and MPFs during chemical treatment can impact their fate, removal, and transportation behavior both at the treatment plant and after discharge to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhdeep Kaur Brar
- School of Energy and Environment, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology Patiala, Pattiala, 147004, India; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada E-mail:
| | - Amit Dhir
- School of Energy and Environment, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology Patiala, Pattiala, 147004, India
| | - Banu Örmeci
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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25
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Saeed MS, Fahd F, Khan F, Chen B, Sadiq R. Human health risk model for microplastic exposure in the Arctic region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165150. [PMID: 37385486 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics enriched with carcinogens like heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and their derivatives are ubiquitous in Arctic waters. They contaminate the local land and sea-based food sources, which is a significant health hazard. It is thus imperative to assess the risk posed by them to the nearby communities, which primarily rely on locally available food sources to meet their energy requirements. This paper proposes a novel ecotoxicity model to assess the human health risk posed by microplastics. The region's geophysical and environmental conditions affecting human microplastic intake, along with the human physiological parameters influencing biotransformation, are incorporated into the developed causation model. It investigates the carcinogenic risk associated with microplastic intake in humans via ingestion in terms of incremental excess lifetime cancer risk (IELCR). The model first evaluates microplastic intake and then uses reactive metabolites produced due to the interaction of microplastics with xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes to assess cellular mutations that result in cancer. All these conditions are mapped in an Object-Oriented Bayesian Network (OOBN) framework to evaluate IELCR. The study will provide a vital tool for formulating better risk management strategies and policies in the Arctic region, especially concerning Arctic Indigenous peoples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Sadiq Saeed
- Centre for Risk, Integrity, and Safety Engineering (C-RISE) Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science, Memorial University, St John's, NL, Canada A1B 3X5; Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center (MKOPSC), Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, College Station TX 77843, USA
| | - Faisal Fahd
- Centre for Risk, Integrity, and Safety Engineering (C-RISE) Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science, Memorial University, St John's, NL, Canada A1B 3X5
| | - Faisal Khan
- Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center (MKOPSC), Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, College Station TX 77843, USA.
| | - Bing Chen
- Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control Laboratory (NRPOP Lab), Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science, Memorial University, St John's, NL, Canada A1B 3X5
| | - Rehan Sadiq
- School of Engineering, Okanagan Campus, Faculty of Applied Science University of British Columbia, Okanagan, BC, Canada V1V 1V7
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26
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Bridson JH, Abbel R, Smith DA, Northcott GL, Gaw S. Impact of accelerated weathering on the leaching kinetics of stabiliser additives from microplastics. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132303. [PMID: 37595471 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The release of additives from microplastics is known to harm organisms. In the environment, microplastics are exposed to weathering processes which are suspected to influence additive leaching kinetics, the extent and mechanism of which remain poorly understood. We examined the impact of weathering on stabiliser additive leaching kinetics using environmentally relevant accelerated weathering and leaching procedures. Nine binary polymer-additive formulations were specifically prepared, weathered, analysed, and evaluated for their leaching characteristics. Cumulative additive release (Ce) varied widely between formulations, ranging from 0.009 to 1162 µg/g. Values of Ce generally increased by polymer type in the order polyethylene terephthalate < polyamide 6 < polyethylene. The change in leaching kinetics after accelerated weathering was incongruous across the nine formulations, with a significant change in Ce only observed for three out of nine formulations. Physicochemical characterisation of the microplastics demonstrated that additive blooming was the primary mechanism influencing the leaching response to weathering. These findings highlight the dependency of additive fate on the polymer type, additive chemistry, and the extent of weathering exposure. This has significant implications for risk assessment and mitigation, where the general assumption that polymer weathering increases additive leaching may be too simplistic.
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Affiliation(s)
- James H Bridson
- Scion, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand; School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand.
| | - Robert Abbel
- Scion, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
| | - Dawn A Smith
- Scion, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
| | - Grant L Northcott
- Northcott Research Consultants Limited, 20 River Oaks Place, Hamilton 3200, New Zealand
| | - Sally Gaw
- School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
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27
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Gulizia AM, Philippa B, Zacharuk J, Motti CA, Vamvounis G. Plasticiser leaching from polyvinyl chloride microplastics and the implications for environmental risk assessment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 195:115392. [PMID: 37690404 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics in aquatic environments is a growing concern, particularly due to the leaching of chemical additives such as plasticisers. To develop comprehensive environmental risk assessments (ERAs) of high-concern polymers and plasticisers, an understanding of their leachability is required. This work investigated diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and bisphenol A (BPA) leaching from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics (average diameter = 191 μm) under simulated marine conditions. Leaching behaviours were quantified using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and the polymer's physiochemical properties analysed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and optical microscopy. Experimental data were fitted to a diffusion and boundary layer model, which found that BPA leaching was temperature-dependent (diffusion-limited), whereas DEHP leaching was controlled by surface rinsing. Model predictions also highlighted the importance of microplastic size on leaching dynamics. These data contribute towards greater accuracy in ERAs of microplastics, with implications for water quality and waste management, including decommissioning of plastic infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Gulizia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia; AIMS@JCU, Division of Research and Innovation, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Bronson Philippa
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia.
| | - Jessica Zacharuk
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia; AIMS@JCU, Division of Research and Innovation, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Cherie A Motti
- AIMS@JCU, Division of Research and Innovation, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - George Vamvounis
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia.
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28
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Park J, Shimizu Y, Zhou X, Ikura R, Matsuba G, Takashima Y. Water-Content-Dependent Switching of the Bending Behavior of Photoresponsive Hydrogels Composed of Hydrophilic Acrylamide-Based Main Chains and Hydrophobic Azobenzene. Gels 2023; 9:658. [PMID: 37623113 PMCID: PMC10453818 DOI: 10.3390/gels9080658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Photoresponsiveness is a promising characteristic of stimulus-responsive materials. Photoresponsiveness can be achieved by incorporating photoresponsive molecules into polymeric materials. In addition, multiple-stimuli-responsive materials have attracted scientists' interest. Among the numerous multiple-stimuli-responsive materials, moisture- and photoresponsive materials are the focus of this report. These stimuli-responsive materials responded to the stimuli synergistically or orthogonally. Unlike most stimulus-responsive materials utilizing moisture and light as stimuli, the materials studied herein switch their photoresponsiveness in the presence of moisture. Appropriate copolymers consisting of hydrophilic acrylamide-based monomers for the main chain and hydrophobic azobenzene moieties switched their bending behaviors at 6-9 wt% water contents. At water contents lower than 6 wt%, the polymeric materials bent away from the light source, while they bent toward the light source at water contents higher than 10 wt%. At a low water content, the bending behaviors can be described on the molecular scale. At a high water content, the bending behavior requires consideration of the phase scale, not only the molecular scale. By controlling the balance between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, the switching behavior was achieved. This switching behavior may inspire additional strategies for the application of polymeric material as actuators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junsu Park
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan (R.I.)
- Forefront Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Shimizu
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan (R.I.)
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan (R.I.)
| | - Ryohei Ikura
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan (R.I.)
- Forefront Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
| | - Go Matsuba
- Graduate School of Organic Materials Engineering, Yamagata University, 4-3-16 Jonan, Yonezawa 992-8510, Yamagata, Japan;
| | - Yoshinori Takashima
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan (R.I.)
- Forefront Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
- Innovative Catalysis Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
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29
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Lee YK, He W, Guo H, Karanfil T, Hur J. Effects of organic additives on spectroscopic and molecular-level features of photo-induced dissolved organic matter from microplastics. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 242:120272. [PMID: 37393811 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The environmental occurrence and impact of dissolved organic matter leached from microplastics (MP-DOM) has been the subject of increased research interest. Commercial plastics, which typically contain additives, are subject to natural weathering processes and can eventually lose their additives. However, the effects of organic additives in commercial microplastics (MPs) on the release of MP-DOM under UV irradiation remain poorly understood. In this study, four polymer MPs (polyethylene; PE, polypropylene; PP, polystyrene; PS, polyvinylchloride; PVC) and four commercial MPs, including a PE zip bag, a PP facial mask, a PVC sheet, Styrofoam, were subjected to leaching under UV irradiation, and the MP-DOM was characterized using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and fluorescence excitation emission matrix-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC). Although UV light promoted the leaching of MP-DOM from both MP groups, the amount released was more pronounced for the polymer MPs than for the commercial MPs. The commercial MP-DOM was characterized by a prominent protein/phenol-like component (C1), while a humic-like component (C2) prevailed in the polymer MPs. FT-ICR-MS identified a higher number of unique molecular formulas for the commercial than for the polymer MP-DOM. The unique molecular formulas of commercial MP-DOM included known organic additives and other breakdown products, while the polymer MP-DOM featured more pronounced unsaturated carbon structures in its identified unique formulas. Several molecular-level parameters showed significant correlations with fluorescence properties, such as CHO formulas (%) with C1 and condensed aromatic structure (CAS-like, %) with C2, suggesting the potential application of fluorescent components as an optical descriptor for the complex molecular-level composition. This study also revealed the possible high environmental reactivity of both polymer MPs and fully weathered plastics due to the unsaturated structures generated in sunlit environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Kyung Lee
- Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05006, South Korea; Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, Anderson 29634, South Carolina, United States
| | - Wei He
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution & School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Huaming Guo
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution & School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Tanju Karanfil
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, Anderson 29634, South Carolina, United States
| | - Jin Hur
- Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05006, South Korea.
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30
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Vaksmaa A, Polerecky L, Dombrowski N, Kienhuis MVM, Posthuma I, Gerritse J, Boekhout T, Niemann H. Polyethylene degradation and assimilation by the marine yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:68. [PMID: 37423910 PMCID: PMC10330194 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00267-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Ocean plastic pollution is a severe environmental problem but most of the plastic that has been released to the ocean since the 1950s is unaccounted for. Although fungal degradation of marine plastics has been suggested as a potential sink mechanism, unambiguous proof of plastic degradation by marine fungi, or other microbes, is scarce. Here we applied stable isotope tracing assays with 13C-labeled polyethylene to measure biodegradation rates and to trace the incorporation of plastic-derived carbon into individual cells of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, which we isolated from the marine environment. 13C accumulation in the CO2 pool during 5-day incubation experiments with R. mucilaginosa and UV-irradiated 13C-labeled polyethylene as a sole energy and carbon source translated to degradation rates of 3.8% yr-1 of the initially added substrate. Furthermore, nanoSIMS measurements revealed substantial incorporation of polyethylene-derived carbon into fungal biomass. Our results demonstrate the potential of R. mucilaginosa to mineralize and assimilate carbon from plastics and suggest that fungal plastic degradation may be an important sink for polyethylene litter in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Vaksmaa
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands.
| | - Lubos Polerecky
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Dombrowski
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel V M Kienhuis
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ilsa Posthuma
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Gerritse
- Deltares, Unit Subsurface and Groundwater Systems, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Helge Niemann
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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31
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Kim L, Il Kwak J, Kim SA, An YJ. Potential effects of natural aging process on the characteristics and toxicity of facial masks: A zebrafish-based study. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 453:131425. [PMID: 37084512 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The use of facial masks has increased and is therefore being recognized as a large source of environmental microplastics. Herein, we naturally aged disposable masks in a lake for eight weeks and compared the toxicity of mask-derived microplastics depending on the aging process using zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish were exposed to virgin and aged mask fragments (VF and AF, respectively) for eight weeks. The aging process induced cracks on the surface of mask fragments and chemical adsorption. Both VF and AFs damaged the zebrafish's liver, gills, and intestine and adversely affected their digestive ability, and their movement-aggression was decreased. These observations highlight the consequences of indiscriminately discarding masks or AFs following consumption. In conclusion, personal protective equipment waste in the environment should be appropriately managed to prevent negative impacts on aquatic organisms and, consequently, on humans via the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lia Kim
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, the Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Il Kwak
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, the Republic of Korea
| | - Sang A Kim
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, the Republic of Korea
| | - Youn-Joo An
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, the Republic of Korea.
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32
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Détrée C, Labbé C, Paul-Pont I, Prado E, El Rawke M, Thomas L, Delorme N, Le Goic N, Huvet A. On the horns of a dilemma: Evaluation of synthetic and natural textile microfibre effects on the physiology of the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023:121861. [PMID: 37245792 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Fast fashion and our daily use of fibrous materials cause a massive release of microfibres (MF) into the oceans. Although MF pollution is commonly linked to plastics, the vast majority of collected MF are made from natural materials (e.g. cellulose). We investigated the effects of 96-h exposure to natural (wool, cotton, organic cotton) and synthetic (acrylic, nylon, polyester) textile MF and their associated chemical additives on the capacity of Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas to ingest MF and the effects of MF and their leachates on key molecular and cellular endpoints. Digestive and glycolytic enzyme activities and immune and detoxification responses were determined at cellular (haemocyte viability, ROS production, ABC pump activity) and molecular (Ikb1, Ikb2, caspase 1 and EcSOD expression) levels, considering environmentally relevant (10 MF L-1) and worst-case scenarios (10 000 MF L-1). Ingestion of natural MF perturbed oyster digestive and immune functions, but synthetic MF had few effects, supposedly related with fibers weaving rather than the material itself. No concentration effects were found, suggesting that an environmental dose of MF is sufficient to trigger these responses. Leachate exposure had minimal effects on oyster physiology. These results suggest that the manufacture of the fibres and their characteristics could be the major factors of MF toxicity and stress the need to consider both natural and synthetic particles and their leachates to thoroughly evaluate the impact of anthropogenic debris. Environmental Implication. Microfibres (MF) are omnipresent in the world oceans with around 2 million tons released every year, resulting in their ingestion by a wide array of marine organisms. In the ocean, a domination of natural MF- representing more than 80% of collected fibres-over synthetic ones was observed. Despite MF pervasiveness, research on their impact on marine organisms, is still in its infancy. The current study aims to investigate the effects of environmental concentrations of both synthetic and natural textile MF and their associated leachates on a model filter feeder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Détrée
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France.
| | - Clémentine Labbé
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Ika Paul-Pont
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Enora Prado
- Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection, Capteurs et Mesures (LDCM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Maria El Rawke
- Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection, Capteurs et Mesures (LDCM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Lena Thomas
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France; Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection, Capteurs et Mesures (LDCM), Centre Bretagne, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Nicolas Delorme
- Institut des Molécules et Matériaux Du Mans, UMR,, CNRS-Le Mans Université, Av. O. Messiaen, 72085, 6283, Le Mans, Cedex 9, France
| | - Nelly Le Goic
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Arnaud Huvet
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'Environnement Marin (LEMAR), UBO, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD, ZI de La Pointe Du Diable, CS 10070, 29280, Plouzané, France
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33
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Forster NA, Wilson SC, Tighe MK. Microplastic pollution on hiking and running trails in Australian protected environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 874:162473. [PMID: 36842582 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous worldwide, present even in remote areas of the natural environment. Hiking and trail running are a source of MPs on recreational trails in protected environments, which are characterised by high biodiversity and natural, ecological or cultural significance. Our understanding of the risks of microplastic pollution is impeded however by a lack of information on MPs present in the soil environment in such areas. This study characterised the quantity and physicochemical characteristics of MPs in two conservation areas in south-eastern Australia: 1) the adjacent Duval Nature Reserve and Dumaresq Dam Reserve, and 2) the Washpool and Gibraltar Range National Parks. We measured atmospheric deposition over a six-month period in the Reserves, and baseline amounts of MPs on recreational trails in the Reserves and National Parks. Atmospheric deposition averaged 17.4 MPs m-2 day-1 and was dominated by fibres, comprising 84 % of MPs. Microplastics detected on trail surfaces ranged from 162.5 ± 41.6 MPs/linear metre to 168.7 ± 18.5 MPs/linear metre and exhibited a very wide range of physical and chemical characteristics. The majority of MPs on the trail surfaces comprised polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene, and 47-71 % were fibres. Microplastics were attributed to clothing, footwear, litter, and diffuse sources. Minimising and preventing MP pollution, however, is complex given there are multiple direct and diffuse sources, and several factors influencing increased MP deposition and retention in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola A Forster
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia.
| | - Susan C Wilson
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia.
| | - Matthew K Tighe
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia.
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34
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Bridson JH, Abbel R, Smith DA, Northcott GL, Gaw S. Solving a microplastic dilemma? Evaluating additive release with a dynamic leaching method for microplastic assessment (DyLeMMA). MethodsX 2023; 10:102221. [PMID: 37255577 PMCID: PMC10225925 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Microplastics and plastic additives are contaminants of emerging environmental concern. Static leaching methods are commonly applied to assess the rate and extent of additive release from microplastics. However, this approach may not be representative of environmental conditions where near infinite dilution or percolation commonly occur. We evaluated three different approaches for assessing additive leaching under environmentally relevant sink conditions, culminating in the refinement and validation of DyLeMMA (Dynamic Leaching Method for Microplastic Assessment). Analysis was performed using a high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method enabling targeted quantification of additives and screening for non-intentionally added substances. Using four different plastics, sink conditions were maintained over the duration of the test, thereby avoiding solubility limited release and ensuring environmental relevance. Background contamination from ubiquitous additive chemicals was minimised, thereby providing good sensitivity and specificity. Resulting data, in the form of additive release curves, should prove suitable for fitting to release models and derivation of parameters describing additive leaching from microplastics.Key attributes of DyLeMMA:•Environmentally relevant dynamic leaching method for microplastics, demonstrated to maintain sink conditions over the test duration,•Simple, fast, and cost-effective approach without complication of using a solid phase sink,•Provide data suitable for understanding microplastic leaching kinetics and mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- James H. Bridson
- Scion, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
- School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Robert Abbel
- Scion, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
| | - Dawn A. Smith
- Scion, Titokorangi Drive, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand
| | - Grant L. Northcott
- Northcott Research Consultants Limited, 20 River Oaks Place, Hamilton 3200, New Zealand
| | - Sally Gaw
- School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
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35
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El Hayek E, Castillo E, In JG, Garcia M, Cerrato J, Brearley A, Gonzalez-Estrella J, Herbert G, Bleske B, Benavidez A, Hsiao H, Yin L, Campen MJ, Yu X. Photoaging of polystyrene microspheres causes oxidative alterations to surface physicochemistry and enhances airway epithelial toxicity. Toxicol Sci 2023; 193:90-102. [PMID: 36881996 PMCID: PMC10176241 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Microplastics represent an emerging environmental contaminant, with large gaps in our understanding of human health impacts. Furthermore, environmental factors may modify the plastic chemistry, further altering the toxic potency. Ultraviolet (UV) light is one such unavoidable factor for airborne microplastic particulates and a known modifier of polystyrene surface chemistry. As an experimental model, we aged commercially available polystyrene microspheres for 5 weeks with UV radiation, then compared the cellular responses in A549 lung cells with both pristine and irradiated particulates. Photoaging altered the surface morphology of irradiated microspheres and increased the intensities of polar groups on the near-surface region of the particles as indicated by scanning electron microscopy and by fitting of high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy C 1s spectra, respectively. Even at low concentrations (1-30 µg/ml), photoaged microspheres at 1 and 5 µm in diameter exerted more pronounced biological responses in the A549 cells than was caused by pristine microspheres. High-content imaging analysis revealed S and G2 cell cycle accumulation and morphological changes, which were also more pronounced in A549 cells treated with photoaged microspheres, and further influenced by the size, dose, and time of exposures. Polystyrene microspheres reduced monolayer barrier integrity and slowed regrowth in a wound healing assay in a manner dependent on dose, photoaging, and size of the microsphere. UV-photoaging generally enhanced the toxicity of polystyrene microspheres in A549 cells. Understanding the influence of weathering and environmental aging, along with size, shape, and chemistry, on microplastics biocompatibility may be an essential consideration for incorporation of different plastics in products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliane El Hayek
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Eliseo Castillo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Clinical and Translational Science Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Julie G In
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Marcus Garcia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jose Cerrato
- Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Adrian Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | | | - Guy Herbert
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Barry Bleske
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Angelica Benavidez
- Center for Micro-Engineered Materials, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Hsuan Hsiao
- ReproTox Biotech, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Lei Yin
- ReproTox Biotech, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Matthew J Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Clinical and Translational Science Center, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Xiaozhong Yu
- College of Nursing, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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36
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Catarino AI, León MC, Li Y, Lambert S, Vercauteren M, Asselman J, Janssen CR, Everaert G, De Rijcke M. Micro- and nanoplastics transfer from seawater to the atmosphere through aerosolization under controlled laboratory conditions. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 192:115015. [PMID: 37172341 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Sea spray has been suggested to enable the transfer of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) from the ocean to the atmosphere, but only a few studies support the role of sea spray aerosols (SSAs) as a source of airborne particles. We demonstrated that MNPs are aerosolized during wave action, via SSAs, under controlled laboratory conditions. We used a mini-Marine-Aerosol-Reference-Tank (miniMART), a device that mimics naturally occurring physical mechanisms producing SSAs, and assessed the aerosolization of fluorescent polystyrene beads (0.5-10 μm), in artificial seawater. The SSAs contained up to 18,809 particles/mL of aerosols for 0.5 μm beads, with an enrichment factor of 19-fold, and 1977 particles/mL of aerosols for 10 μm beads with a 2-fold enrichment factor. Our study demonstrates that the use of the miniMART is essential to assess MNPs aerosolization in a standardized way, supporting the hypothesis which states that MNPs in the surface of the ocean may be transferred to the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Isabel Catarino
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Research Division, Ocean and Human Health, InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium.
| | - Maria Camila León
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Research Division, Ocean and Human Health, InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium; Free University of Brussels (VUB), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Pleinlaan 2 - room F806, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Ghent University, Faculty of Sciences, Krijgslaan 281,9000 Gent, Belgium; Antwerp University, Faculty of Sciences, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Yunmeng Li
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Research Division, Ocean and Human Health, InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium; Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Silke Lambert
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Maaike Vercauteren
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Jana Asselman
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Colin R Janssen
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Gert Everaert
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Research Division, Ocean and Human Health, InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Maarten De Rijcke
- Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Research Division, Ocean and Human Health, InnovOcean Campus, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
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37
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Sørensen L, Farkas J, Beathe Øverjordet I, Hansen BH. In situ biomonitoring using caged lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) eggs reveal plastic and rubber associated chemicals in a harbour area in Central Norway. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2023; 86:397-403. [PMID: 37162368 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2023.2209113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Plastics- and rubber-derived chemicals are given increasing focus due to their migration into the environment and potential for causing detrimental effects. The current study demonstrates the use of a novel biomonitoring platform using caged fertilized eggs of lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) in combination with gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis of a selection of target chemicals extracted from the lumpfish eggs after deployment. A monitoring campaign in the Trondheim harbor and off the coast of Trøndelag in Norway was executed using the described system. Here we found accumulation of UV stabilizers (benzophenone and benzothiazoles), plasticizers (n-butylbenzenesulfonamide), reagents, and polymer synthesis precursors (bisphenol A, acetophenone, phthalide, and phthalimide) in deployed eggs. Several of the compounds were detected in concentrations above previously quantified legacy contaminants in the same study areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julia Farkas
- SINTEF Ocean, Climate and Environment, Trondheim, Norway
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38
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Andrady AL, Heikkilä AM, Pandey KK, Bruckman LS, White CC, Zhu M, Zhu L. Effects of UV radiation on natural and synthetic materials. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:1177-1202. [PMID: 37039962 PMCID: PMC10088630 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00377-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
The deleterious effects of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation on construction materials, especially wood and plastics, and the consequent impacts on their useful lifetimes, are well documented in scientific literature. Any future increase in solar UV radiation and ambient temperature due to climate change will therefore shorten service lifetimes of materials, which will require higher levels of stabilisation or other interventions to maintain their lifetimes at the present levels. The implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments on substances that deplete the ozone layer, controls the solar UV-B radiation received on Earth. This current quadrennial assessment provides a comprehensive update on the deleterious effects of solar UV radiation on the durability of natural and synthetic materials, as well as recent innovations in better stabilising of materials against solar UV radiation-induced damage. Pertinent emerging technologies for wood and plastics used in construction, composite materials used in construction, textile fibres, comfort fabric, and photovoltaic materials, are addressed in detail. Also addressed are the trends in technology designed to increase sustainability via replacing toxic, unsustainable, legacy additives with 'greener' benign substitutes that may indirectly affect the UV stability of the redesigned materials. An emerging class of efficient photostabilisers are the nanoscale particles that include oxide fillers and nanocarbons used in high-performance composites, which provide good UV stability to materials. They also allow the design of UV-shielding fabric materials with impressive UV protection factors. An emerging environmental issue related to the photodegradation of plastics is the generation of ubiquitous micro-scale particles from plastic litter exposed to solar UV radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. L. Andrady
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC USA
| | | | - K. K. Pandey
- Indian Academy of Wood Science, Bangalore, India
| | - L. S. Bruckman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH USA
| | | | - M. Zhu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
| | - L. Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibres and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
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39
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Forster NA, Wilson SC, Tighe MK. Trail running events contribute microplastic pollution to conservation and wilderness areas. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 331:117304. [PMID: 36657197 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Clothing and footwear designed for trail running shed microplastics (MPs) during use. Trail running events may therefore present a significant source of MP pollution in conservation and wilderness areas. Microplastics may present long-term risks to biodiversity and endemic plant and animal species in such areas. In this study, we used a before-after-control-impact approach to quantify and characterise MP emissions from clothing and shoe outsoles during trail running events. Microplastic deposition on trail surfaces was assessed using both a controlled study and during two public trail running events in New South Wales, Australia (the Duval Dam Buster and the Washpool World Heritage Trail Race). Microplastics were present on trails after all events and included fibres and rubber fragments. Microplastic counts varied considerably depending on trail surface hardness and gradient, and clothing and footwear properties. The controlled study showed running tights (leggings) and shoes with soft rubber outsoles produced more MPs than shirts and hard rubbers. In the trail running events, abrasive wear to shoe outsoles produced an average of 0.3 ± 0.1 to 0.9 ± 0.2 MPs/linear metre/runner, and clothing produced 0.7 ± 0.3 to 2.0 ± 0.3 fibres/linear metre/runner, with fibres accounting for 63-69% of MPs. Microplastic deposition from both footwear and clothing was higher on sloped and rock trail surfaces than flat and soil surfaces. Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Imaging indicated the main types of MPs present on trails were polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate and polyamide. Trail running is increasing in popularity and large-scale events may cause a rapid and significant input of MPs in protected areas. Land managers, event coordinators and outdoor apparel manufacturers could mitigate MP impacts however, by diverting foot traffic around ecologically sensitive areas, capping participant numbers, and developing abrasion resistant clothing and footwear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola A Forster
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, Wales, 2351, Australia.
| | - Susan C Wilson
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, Wales, 2351, Australia.
| | - Matthew K Tighe
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, Wales, 2351, Australia.
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40
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Yuan R, Salam M, Miao X, Yang Y, Li H, Wei Y. Potential disintegration and transport of biochar in the soil-water environment: A case study towards purple soil. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 222:115383. [PMID: 36716806 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biochar has been widely applied in soil and water. However, the fate and transport of biochar are not yet fully understood. Here, biochar's disintegration, transport, and the effect of temperature on biochar transport in soil (purple soil)-water systems were investigated. The results showed that the potentially transportable components (PTC) of biochar for corn straw, wheat straw, rice straw, rice husk and wood biochar reached 6.22-7.60%, 5.96-12.29%, 11.77-12.45%, 5.34-6.26% and 5.08-6.14% by mass, respectively. An external force (ultrasound exposure) intensified the physical disintegration, including colloidal and nanoparticles from larger particles, thereby increasing the transport potential. The mass recovery rates of PTC for rice straw biochar after penetrating through soil at 5, 20 and 35 °C reached 44.25%, 32.97% and 10.98%, respectively, which was supported by the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory results. Elevated temperatures increased the hydrodynamic average diameter of PTC, and the Zeta potential of PTC and soil at 35 °C were less negative than those at 5 and 20 °C. As a result, biochar's transportability decreases with increasing temperature in the soil-water system, during which the enhanced PTC aggregation and the decreased electrostatic repulsion between biochar and soil particles played a crucial role. The increase in electrical conductivity in the soil-water system may be the main reason for the decrease in electrostatic repulsion at higher temperatures. The findings are helpful for an in-depth understanding of the environmental fate and managing the transport risk of biochar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment of Three Gorges Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Muhammad Salam
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment of Three Gorges Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Xiaojun Miao
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment of Three Gorges Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Yongchuan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment of Three Gorges Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Hong Li
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment of Three Gorges Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Yanyan Wei
- Cultivation Base of Guangxi Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment and Agro-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agri-bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Science Education, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.
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41
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Pinlova B, Nowack B. Characterization of fiber fragments released from polyester textiles during UV weathering. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 322:121012. [PMID: 36623791 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic textiles are considered a prime source of microplastics fibers which are a prevalent shape of microplastic pollution. Whilst the release mechanisms and formation of such microplastic fibers have been so far mainly studied in connection with laundry washing, there are some studies emerging that describe also other release pathways for microplastic fibers such as abrasion during wearing. The aim of this study was to consider weathering as another process contributing to the formation of microplastic fibers and their presence in the environment. Four types of polyester fabrics were selected and exposed to artificial weathering by UV-light for two months. The fabrics were extracted every 15 days to quantify and characterize the formed microplastics. Microplastic fibers with the diameter matching the size of the fibers in the textiles were observed. However, additional microplastic fibers of different shapes were also formed. These included partially broken fibers, thin fibers with a diameter below the size of the fiber in the fabrics, fibers flattened into a ribbon, and non-fibrous microplastics. The released microplastics evinced physical alterations on their surface in the form of pits and cracks. The released microplastics exhibited a steep increase in number with progressing weathering; from hundreds of fibers per gram of textile from unaged fabrics, to hundred thousands fibers (150,000-450,000 MPF/g) after 2 months of weathering. Additional 10,000-52,000 unfibrous microplastics/g were released from the weathered fabrics. While plain fabrics showed higher releases than interlock and fleece, further research is needed to evaluate the importance of the textile architecture on the weathering process in comparison with the production history of the fabrics. Based on a comparison with washing studies with the same textiles, we can estimate that the potential of weathered fabrics to be a source of microplastic fibers can be 20-40 times larger than washing only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Pinlova
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Nowack
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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Park TJ, Kim MK, Lee SH, Kim MJ, Lee YS, Lee BM, Seong KS, Park JH, Zoh KD. Temporal and spatial distribution of microplastic in the sediment of the Han River, South Korea. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 317:137831. [PMID: 36640985 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Sediments are sinks for microplastics (MPs) in freshwater environments. It is, therefore, necessary to investigate the occurrence and fate of accumulated MPs in the sediments, which pose a risk to aquatic organisms. We conducted the first comprehensive investigation of MPs in riverine sediment in South Korea to examine the temporal and spatial distribution of MPs in the sediment at the two main branches and downstream of the Han River. The average abundance of MPs over all sites was 0.494 ± 0.280 particles/g. Spatially, the MP abundance at three sites in the North Han River (0.546 ± 0.217 particles/g) was higher than those in the South Han River (0.383 ± 0.145 particles/g) and downstream of the Han River (0.417 ± 0.114 particles/g). The abundances of MPs before dams at two upstream sites were significantly higher than that at other sites because of the slow river flow velocity attributed to the artificial structure. The abundance of MPs after the mosoon season (October, 0.600 ± 0.357 particles/g) was higher than that before the mosoon season (April, 0.389 ± 0.099 particles/g). The most common polymer types observed were polyethylene (>38%) and polypropylene (>24%). Irrespective of the location and season, greater than 93% of MPs identified were fragments, and the remaining were fibers. The concentrations of TOC, TN, and TP in the sediment were positively correlated with MP abundance. MP abundance was also positively correlated with clay and silt fractions of the sediment; however, it was negatively correlated with sand fraction. This study provides a basis for the management of MP pollution by offering findings related to critical factors influencing MP abundance in sediment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Jin Park
- Water Environmental Engineering Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Environmental Research Complex, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Moon-Kyung Kim
- Institute of Health & Environment Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung-Hyun Lee
- Water Environmental Engineering Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Environmental Research Complex, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Mun-Ju Kim
- Water Environmental Engineering Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Environmental Research Complex, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Young-Sun Lee
- Water Environmental Engineering Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Environmental Research Complex, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Bo-Mi Lee
- Han River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
| | - Ki-Seon Seong
- Han River Environment Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
| | - Ji-Hyoung Park
- Water Environmental Engineering Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Environmental Research Complex, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Duk Zoh
- Institute of Health & Environment Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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43
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Wilkie Johnston L, Bergami E, Rowlands E, Manno C. Organic or junk food? Microplastic contamination in Antarctic krill and salps. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221421. [PMID: 36998765 PMCID: PMC10049761 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MP) have been reported in Southern Ocean (SO), where they are likely to encounter Antarctic zooplankton and enter pelagic food webs. Here we assess the presence of MP within Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and salps (Salpa thompsoni) and quantify their abundance and type by micro-Fourier transform infrared microscopy. MP were found in both species, with fibres being more abundant than fragments (krill: 56.25% and salps: 22.32% of the total MP). Polymer identification indicated MP originated from both local and distant sources. Our findings prove how in situ MP ingestion from these organisms is a real and ongoing process in the SO. MP amount was higher in krill (2.13 ± 0.26 MP ind-1) than salps (1.38 ± 0.42 MP ind-1), while MP size extracted from krill (130 ± 30 µm) was significantly lower than MP size from salps (330 ± 50 µm). We suggest that differences between abundance and size of MP ingested by these two species may be related to their food strategies, their ability to fragment MP as well as different human pressures within the collection areas of the study region. First comparative field-based evidence of MP in both krill and salps, two emblematic zooplankton species of the SO marine ecosystems, underlines that Antarctic marine ecosystems may be particularly sensitive to plastic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Wilkie Johnston
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
- University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9AJ, UK
| | - Elisa Bergami
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 213/D, Modena, Italy
| | - Emily Rowlands
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Clara Manno
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
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Dos Santos NDO, Busquets R, Campos LC. Insights into the removal of microplastics and microfibres by Advanced Oxidation Processes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 861:160665. [PMID: 36473655 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Water treatment plants' effluents are hotspots of microplastics (MPs) and microfibres (MFs) released into the aquatic environment because they were not designed to capture these particles. Special attention should be given to MFs, since they mainly come from laundry and are related to one of the main MP shapes detected in water and wastewater treatment plants. In this sense, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) could be a feasible solution for tackling MP and MF pollution, however, it is still premature to extract conclusions due to the limited number of studies on the degradation of these particles (specifically MFs) using AOPs. This review addresses the impacts of AOPs on MPs/MFs, focusing on their degradation efficiency, toxicity, and sustainability of the processes, among other aspects. The review points out that polyamide MFs can achieve mass loss >90% by photocatalytic system using TiO2. Also, the low oxidation of MPs (<30 %) by conventional Fenton process affects mainly the surface of the MPs. However, other Fenton-based processes can provide better removal of some types of MPs, mainly using temperatures >100 °C, reaction time ≥ 5 h, and initial pH ≤ 3, achieving MP weight loss up to 96 %. Despite these results, better operating conditions are still required for AOPs since the ones reported so far are not feasible for full-scale application. Additionally, ozonation in treatment plants has increased the fragmentation of MPs (including MFs), leading to a new generation of MPs. More attention is needed on toxicity effects of intermediates and methods of analysis employed for the analysis of MPs/MFs in wastewater effluent should be standardized so that studies can be compared effectively. Future research should focus on the sustainability of the AOP for MP removal in water treatment (power consumption, chemicals consumed and operational costs) for a better understanding of full-scale applicability of AOP adapted to MP treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara de Oliveira Dos Santos
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa Busquets
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 2EE, United Kingdom
| | - Luiza C Campos
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
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45
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Askham C, Pauna VH, Boulay AM, Fantke P, Jolliet O, Lavoie J, Booth AM, Coutris C, Verones F, Weber M, Vijver MG, Lusher A, Hajjar C. Generating environmental sampling and testing data for micro- and nanoplastics for use in life cycle impact assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160038. [PMID: 36395847 PMCID: PMC9760571 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing efforts focus on quantifying plastic pollution and describing and estimating the related magnitude of exposure and impacts on human and environmental health. Data gathered during such work usually follows a receptor perspective. However, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) represents an emitter perspective. This study examines existing data gathering and reporting approaches for field and laboratory studies on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) exposure and effects relevant to LCA data inputs. The outcomes indicate that receptor perspective approaches do not typically provide suitable or sufficiently harmonised data. Improved design is needed in the sampling, testing and recording of results using harmonised, validated and comparable methods, with more comprehensive reporting of relevant data. We propose a three-level set of requirements for data recording and reporting to increase the potential for LCA studies and models to utilise data gathered in receptor-oriented studies. We show for which purpose such data can be used as inputs to LCA, particularly in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods. Implementing these requirements will facilitate proper integration of the potential environmental impacts of plastic losses from human activity (e.g. litter) into LCA. Then, the impacts of plastic emissions can eventually be connected and compared with other environmental issues related to anthropogenic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Askham
- Norwegian Institute for Sustainability Research (NORSUS), Stadion 4, 1671 Kråkerøy, Norway.
| | - Valentina H Pauna
- Norwegian Institute for Sustainability Research (NORSUS), Stadion 4, 1671 Kråkerøy, Norway; International PhD Programme/UNESCO Chair "Environment, Resources and Sustainable Development", Department of Science and Technology, Parthenope University of Naples, Centro Direzionale, Isola C4, 80143 Naples, Italy
| | - Anne-Marie Boulay
- CIRAIG, Chemical Engineering Department, Polytechnique Montreal, Canada
| | - Peter Fantke
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet 424, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Olivier Jolliet
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet 424, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jérôme Lavoie
- CIRAIG, UQÀM/ISE-Institute of Environmental Sciences, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Claire Coutris
- NIBIO Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Division of Environment and Natural Resources, Ås, Norway
| | - Francesca Verones
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Martina G Vijver
- Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences, the Netherlands
| | - Amy Lusher
- Norwegian Institute of Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway; Department of Biological Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Carla Hajjar
- CIRAIG, Chemical Engineering Department, Polytechnique Montreal, Canada
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Shi Y, Zheng L, Huang H, Tian YC, Gong Z, Liu P, Wu X, Li WT, Gao S. Formation of Nano- and Microplastics and Dissolved Chemicals During Photodegradation of Polyester Base Fabrics with Polyurethane Coating. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:1894-1906. [PMID: 36693029 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Polyurethane (PU) synthetic leathers possess an intricate plastic composition, including polyester (PET) base fabrics and upper PU resin, but the release of fragments from the complexes is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the photodegradation trends of PET base fabrics with PU coating (PET-U) as a representative of composite plastics. Attention was paid to the comparison of the photoaging process of PET-U with that of pure PET base fabric (PET-P). To reveal the potential for chain scission, physical and chemical changes (e.g., surface morphology, molecular weight, and crystallinity) of the two fabrics were explored. The generation of microplastic fibers (MPFs) and microplastic particles (MPPs) was distinguished. Compared with PET-P, PET-U showed a similar but delayed trend in various characteristics and debris release rate as the photoaging time prolonged. Even so, after 360 h of illumination, the generated number of MPs (including MPFs and MPPs) rose considerably to 9.32 × 107 MPs/g, and the amount of released nanoplastics (NPs) increased to 2.70 × 1011 NPs/g from PET-U. The suppression of MP formation from PET-U was potentially directed by the physical shielding of the upper PU layer and the dropped MPs, which resisted the photochemical radical effect. The components of dissolved organic matter derived from plastics (P-DOM) were separated by molecular weight using a size-exclusion chromatography-diode array detector-organic carbon detector/organic nitrogen detector (SEC-DAD-OCD/OND), and the results showed that a larger amount of carbon- and nitrogen-containing chemical substances were generated in PET-U, accompanied by more aromatic and fluorescent compounds. The results provided theoretical bases and insights for future research on the risks of plastic debris from PU synthetic leathers on aquatic organisms and indicated feasible directions for exploring combined pollution studies of plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Lezhou Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Hexinyue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye-Chao Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhimin Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Liu
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Shixiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
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Islam MS, Hasan MR, Islam Z. Abundance, characteristics, and spatial-temporal distribution of microplastics in sea salts along the Cox's Bazar coastal area, Bangladesh. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:19994-20005. [PMID: 36242671 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23596-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), together with microfibers, have emerged as a contaminant of concern all around the globe. MPs have been detected in freshwater, seawater, sediment, and aquatic species among others. As suggested by several recent investigations, sea salts, a daily intake item by humans, are also contaminated by MPs. The current article describes MPs' occurrence, distribution, type, and timeline variation in raw sea salts from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. MPs have been detected in every collected salt sample, and quantity varied from 28.53 ± 2.43 to 93.53 ± 4.21 particles per kg, which was about 52.48 ± 1.72 to 67.46 ± 3.81 µg/kg of raw salt. Microfibers were MPs' dominant shape category, and the plastic types were mainly polyester or nylon. Other types of MPs were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polyurethane (PU), and polystyrene (PS) in decreasing amounts. The majority of the MPs in the sea salts were in the size range of ˂ 3-1 mm. The total amount of MPs and plastic-type variation due to sampling location (p ˃ 0.05) and because of the time period (p ˃ 0.05) was found insignificant. Acetaldehyde, a volatile toxic substance produced by the degradation of polyester polymer chains, was detected in MPs in the range of 0.37 to 1.72 µg/g by headspace GC-MS analysis. Hence, the sea salts contaminated with MPs pose a public health hazard. Microplastics extraction from sea salts and their characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Saiful Islam
- Fiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh.
| | - Md Rashed Hasan
- Fiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh
| | - Zahidul Islam
- Fiber and Polymer Research Division, BCSIR Laboratories Dhaka, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh
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48
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Groh KJ, Arp HPH, MacLeod M, Wang Z. Assessing and managing environmental hazards of polymers: historical development, science advances and policy options. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:10-25. [PMID: 36511246 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00386d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Polymers are the main constituents of many materials and products in our modern world. However, their environmental safety is not assessed with the same level of detail as done for non-polymeric chemical substances. Moreover, the fundamentals of contemporary regulatory approaches for polymers were developed in the early 1990s, with little change occurring since then. Currently, the European Commission is working on a proposal to initiate registration of polymers under the European Union's (EU) chemicals legislation REACH. This provides a unique opportunity for regulation to catch up on recent scientific advances. To inform this process, we here critically appraise the suggested regulatory approaches to the environmental assessment and management of polymers against the latest scientific findings regarding their environmental fate, exposure, and effects, and identify the remaining critical knowledge gaps. While we use the EU draft proposal as an example, our findings are broadly applicable to other polymer legislations worldwide, due to the similarity of polymer assessment criteria being used. We emphasize four major aspects that require more attention in the regulation of polymers: (i) increased transparency about chemical identities, physical characteristics and grouping approaches for in-use polymers; (ii) improved understanding of the environmental fate of polymers and materials composed of polymers across size and density categories and exposure profiles; (iii) comprehensive assessment of the environmental hazards of polymers, considering the effects of degradation and weathering and taking into account the actual uptake, long-term toxicity, and geophysical impacts; and (iv) consideration of the production volume and use/release patterns in determining regulatory data and testing requirements. Transitioning toward a toxic-free and sustainable circular economy will likely require additional policy instruments that will reduce the overall complexity and diversity of in-use polymers and polymeric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia J Groh
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Hans Peter H Arp
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, NO-0806 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Matthew MacLeod
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Zhanyun Wang
- Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Technology and Society Laboratory, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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49
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Reineccius J, Schönke M, Waniek JJ. Abiotic Long-Term Simulation of Microplastic Weathering Pathways under Different Aqueous Conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:963-975. [PMID: 36584307 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are one of the most abundant and widespread anthropogenic pollutants worldwide. In addition to the global spread and threats of plastic to native species by carrying toxic substances, its slow degradation rate and resulting long retention time in the environment constitute a problem that is still poorly understood. In this study, five of the most manufactured plastic types were weathered under simulated beach conditions for 18 months in freshwater, brackish water, and seawater. Those included polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PP was the first polymer type that fragmented after 9 months of weathering and influenced the pH of the surrounding water. Molecular surface changes were detected for all polymers, just after the first week. Hydroxyl bonds were one of the first groups incorporated into the polymers, weakening 2-3 weeks later. Carbonyl groups were also measured early, but with significantly different developments with time between the polymer types. Differences in degradation rates were proven between the water media, with the fastest degradation in seawater compared to brackish water and freshwater for PE and PP. These results are consistent with previous findings on MPs aged under environmental conditions and provide initial long-term observations of MP degradation pathways under simulated environmental conditions. These findings are valuable for assessing the fate and hazards of MPs in aquatic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janika Reineccius
- Leibniz Institute of Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde, Seestraße 15, Rostock 18119, Germany
| | - Mischa Schönke
- Leibniz Institute of Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde, Seestraße 15, Rostock 18119, Germany
| | - Joanna J Waniek
- Leibniz Institute of Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde, Seestraße 15, Rostock 18119, Germany
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50
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Li Y, Lu Q, Xing Y, Liu K, Ling W, Yang J, Yang Q, Wu T, Zhang J, Pei Z, Gao Z, Li X, Yang F, Ma H, Liu K, Zhao D. Review of research on migration, distribution, biological effects, and analytical methods of microfibers in the environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158922. [PMID: 36155038 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been proven to be one of the critical environmental pollution issues. Moreover, microfibers, the most prominent form of microplastics in the environment, have likewise attracted the attention of various countries. With the increase in global population and industrialization, the production and use of fibers continue to increase yearly. As a result, a large number of microfibers are formed. If fiber products are not used or handled correctly, it will cause direct/indirect severe microfiber environmental pollution. Microfibers will be further broken into smaller fiber fragments when they enter the natural environment. Presently, researchers have conducted extensive research in the identification of microfibers, laying the foundation for further resourcefulness research. This work used bibliometric analysis to review the microfiber contamination researches systematically. First, the primary sources of microfibers and the influencing factors are analyzed. We aim to summarize the influence of the clothing fiber preparation and care processes on microfiber formation. Then, this work elaborated on the migration in/between water, atmosphere, and terrestrial environments. We also discussed the effects of microfiber on ecosystems. Finally, microfibers' current and foreseeable effective treatment, disposal, and resource utilization methods were explained. This paper will provide a structured reference for future microfiber research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Li
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China; School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qingbin Lu
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yi Xing
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Kai Liu
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Wei Ling
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Jian Yang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.
| | - Qizhen Yang
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Tianqi Wu
- Human Resources Department, Yangquan Power Supply Company of State Grid Shanxi Electric Power Company, Yangquan 045000, Shanxi, China
| | - Jiafu Zhang
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Zengxin Pei
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ziyuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Iron and Steel Industry Environmental Protection, No. 33, Xitucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Hongjie Ma
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Kehan Liu
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ding Zhao
- Sinochem Environment Holdings Co., Ltd, Beijing 100071, China
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