Jarosz Kinga, Borek-Dorosz Aleksandra, Drozdek Marek, Rokicińska Anna, Kiełbasa Anna, Janus Rafał, Setlak Kinga, Kuśtrowski Piotr, Zapotoczny Szczepan, Michalik Marek
Institute of Geological Sciences, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 3a, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Mar 20;917:170533. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170533. Epub 2024 Feb 1.
The increasing use of plastic (synthetic polymers) results in the release of uncontrollable amounts of synthetic materials into the environment through waste, infrastructure, and essential goods. As plastic materials undergo weathering, a complex process unfolds, leading to the formation of pollutants, notably microplastics. This study employs multiple instrumental methods to explore the intricate abiotic degradation of the five most commonly used synthetic polymers in environmentally relevant conditions. An extensive set of analytical techniques, along with chemometric analysis of the results of Raman spectroscopy, was used to characterize the materials and evaluate the nature and extent of degradation caused by artificial weathering under temperature, humidity, and solar-like irradiation cycles. Investigation focuses on the link between abiotic weathering and the generation of micro- and nanoplastics, accompanied by molecular and surface adhesion changes, and the release of additives such as metals and metal oxides. Research reveals that microplastics may exhibit varied physical properties due to the incorporation of significant quantities of high-density additives from the parent plastic, which might influence the extraction methods and the transportation models' accuracy. At the molecular and microscopic scales, non-homogeneous pathways through which plastic decomposes during weathering were observed. The formation of additive-polymer combinations might play a pivotal role in the monitoring approaches for microplastics, presenting unique challenges in assessing the environmental impact of different plastic types. These findings offer complex insight into abiotic weathering, microplastics' generation, and the influence of additives that were previously overlooked in toxicity and health assessment studies. As plastic pollution continues to escalate, understanding these complex processes is crucial for microplastic monitoring development and adopting effective preventative measures.
塑料（合成聚合物）使用量的不断增加导致大量合成材料通过废物、基础设施和必需品进入环境。随着塑料材料的风化，一个复杂的过程展开，导致污染物的形成，尤其是微塑料。本研究采用多种仪器方法，在与环境相关的条件下探索五种最常用合成聚合物复杂的非生物降解过程。使用了一系列广泛的分析技术，以及对拉曼光谱结果的化学计量分析，来表征材料，并评估在温度、湿度和类似太阳辐射循环下人工风化引起的降解的性质和程度。研究重点关注非生物风化与微塑料和纳米塑料生成之间的联系，以及分子和表面附着力的变化，以及金属和金属氧化物等添加剂的释放。研究表明，由于母体塑料中大量高密度添加剂的掺入，微塑料可能表现出不同的物理性质，这可能会影响提取方法和运输模型的准确性。在分子和微观尺度上，观察到塑料在风化过程中分解的非均匀途径。添加剂 - 聚合物组合的形成可能在微塑料监测方法中起关键作用，在评估不同塑料类型的环境影响方面提出了独特挑战。这些发现为非生物风化、微塑料的生成以及添加剂的影响提供了复杂的见解，而这些在毒性和健康评估研究中以前被忽视。随着塑料污染持续升级，了解这些复杂过程对于微塑料监测的发展和采取有效的预防措施至关重要。
