Kibuta Christina, Schmidt Mario, Fell Tanja, Malz Frank, Buettner Andrea, Schlummer Martin
Department of Polymer Recycling and Process Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany; Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Department of Polymer Recycling and Process Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany.
Environ Pollut. 2025 Oct 15;383:126827. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126827. Epub 2025 Jul 12.
Marine plastics act as carriers for a wide range of chemical contaminants, many of which pose serious environmental and health risks. This study investigated organic contaminants such as benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BUVs), phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), bisphenol A (BPA), and antioxidants in beach and ocean plastics collected from multiple geographic locations. A validated analytical method comprising solid-liquid extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV) was employed for contaminant identification. Some detected compounds have been classified as persistent organic pollutants and substances of very high concern, including di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and UV-328. The highest levels of UV-328 detected in both ocean and beach plastics samples (1040 ± 22 μg/g and 5188 ± 65 ng/g respectively) exceeded permitted limits in plastic as set by European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Other contaminants such as chrysene (558 ± 3 ng/g), BPA (100 ± 1 μg/g) and antioxidant degradation products like tris (2,4-ditert-butylphenyl) phosphate were also detected in some marine plastic samples. Based on these findings, this study highlights the widespread occurrence of organic contaminants in marine plastics and their potential implications for second-life applications and environmental risk. These contaminants may also impact marine ecosystems through leaching and bioaccumulation, with possible consequences for human health via the food web. Overall, the study offers insights into informing policies on plastic waste management, recycling practices, and environmental protection measures aimed at mitigating the chemical hazards associated with marine plastic pollution.
海洋塑料充当了多种化学污染物的载体，其中许多污染物都带来了严重的环境和健康风险。本研究调查了从多个地理位置收集的海滩和海洋塑料中的有机污染物，如苯并三唑紫外线稳定剂（BUVs）、邻苯二甲酸盐、多环芳烃（PAHs）、双酚A（BPA）和抗氧化剂。采用一种经过验证的分析方法，包括固液萃取，随后进行气相色谱 - 质谱联用（GC - MS）和带紫外检测的高效液相色谱法（HPLC - UV）来识别污染物。一些检测到的化合物已被归类为持久性有机污染物和高度关注物质，包括邻苯二甲酸二（2 - 乙基己基）酯（DEHP）和UV - 328。在海洋和海滩塑料样品中检测到的UV - 328的最高含量（分别为1040 ± 22 μg/g和5188 ± 65 ng/g）超过了欧洲化学品管理局（ECHA）规定的塑料中允许的限量。在一些海洋塑料样品中还检测到了其他污染物，如芘（558 ± 3 ng/g）、BPA（100 ± 1 μg/g）以及抗氧化剂降解产物，如磷酸三（2,4 - 二叔丁基苯基）酯。基于这些发现，本研究强调了海洋塑料中有机污染物的广泛存在及其对二次利用和环境风险的潜在影响。这些污染物还可能通过浸出和生物累积影响海洋生态系统，并可能通过食物网对人类健康产生影响。总体而言，该研究为制定有关塑料废物管理、回收利用实践以及旨在减轻与海洋塑料污染相关化学危害的环境保护措施的政策提供了见解。
