Keemilise Ja Bioloogilise Fuusika Instituut, 23 Akadeemia Tee, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
Keemilise Ja Bioloogilise Fuusika Instituut, 23 Akadeemia Tee, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia; Estonian Academy of Sciences, Kohtu 6, 10130, Tallinn, Estonia.
Environ Pollut. 2021 Oct 15;287:117334. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117334. Epub 2021 May 10.
The relevance of the environmental hazard evaluation of virgin plastics particles is problematic, as plastics almost never occur in a virgin state after being discarded into the environment. However, the producers or importers must evaluate the environmental effect of their products as they are produced. Many plastic types e.g., polyamide, polyethylene are already under pre-registration, according to the database of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), in order to restrict the placing on the market of polymers (as defined by Article 3(5) of EU's REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization & Restriction of Chemicals), as a substance or in a mixture (ECHA, 2019). However, the hazard of microplastics could not be evaluated without relevant data on its (eco)toxic effects. In this work, the long-term toxicity of virgin polyamide microplastic (PA-MP) (size from 0 to 180 μm) and UV-weathered virgin PA-MP was investigated in the controlled life cycle experiments conducted in accordance with the OECD guidelines for testing of chemicals using Chironomus riparius (OECD test 218). In addition, a three-generation test was conducted to understand the trans-generational toxicity potential of virgin PA-MP. After UV irradiation (26 d) the buoyancy and color of the particles was changed and the share of smaller particles (of a few micrometer size range) increased. The exposure of C. riparius larvae to UV-weathered PA-MP (1000 mg kg) during their life cycle (28 d), negatively affected their development and subsequent emergence as adults. However, the exposure to virgin PA-MP throughout the life cycle and also over three consecutive generations did not significantly reduced the number of emerged adults. From the point of view of environmental hazard, the virgin polyamide plastics have probably no long-term hazard to chironomids. While it may not be relevant as environmental pollutant in the strict sense, UV-weathering may turn it hazardous.
原生塑料颗粒的环境危害评估具有相关性问题，因为塑料在被丢弃到环境中后几乎从未以原生状态存在。然而，生产者或进口商必须在生产过程中评估其产品的环境影响。根据欧洲化学品管理局（ECHA）的数据库，许多塑料类型，如聚酰胺、聚乙烯，已经在进行预注册，以便根据欧盟 REACH 法规（注册、评估、授权和限制化学品）第 3(5)条限制聚合物（定义为物质或混合物）投放市场（ECHA，2019 年）。然而，如果没有关于其（生态）毒性影响的相关数据，就无法评估微塑料的危害。在这项工作中，按照 OECD 化学品测试指南（使用摇蚊（Chironomus riparius）进行测试，OECD 测试 218）进行的受控生命周期实验中，研究了原生聚酰胺微塑料（PA-MP）（尺寸为 0 至 180 μm）和紫外线风化的原生 PA-MP 的长期毒性。此外，还进行了三代试验，以了解原生 PA-MP 的跨代毒性潜力。紫外线照射（26 天）后，颗粒的浮力和颜色发生变化，较小颗粒（几微米大小范围）的份额增加。在生命周期（28 天）期间，摇蚊幼虫暴露于紫外线风化的 PA-MP（1000 mg kg）中，对其发育和随后作为成虫出现产生负面影响。然而，在整个生命周期和三代连续暴露于原生 PA-MP 中，并未显著减少成虫的数量。从环境危害的角度来看，原生聚酰胺塑料对摇蚊可能没有长期危害。虽然从严格意义上讲，它可能不是环境污染物，但紫外线风化可能使其具有危害性。
