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EVALUATION OF SELECTED BIO- AND DEGRADABLE PLASTICS WEATHERED IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT BY PYROLYSIS-GC/MS
Citation:
Gundersen, J., K. Ho, AND R. Burgess. EVALUATION OF SELECTED BIO- AND DEGRADABLE PLASTICS WEATHERED IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT BY PYROLYSIS-GC/MS. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America, 42nd Annual Meeting, NA, Virtual, November 14 - 18, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
Microplastics are contaminants of emerging concern in marine environments because they may harm wildlife or enter the food chain. To address this concern, bio-plastics and degradable plastics have been developed as potentially sustainable alternatives. The fate of these alternatives is not well known. We examined how degradable and bio-plastics may break down and how they can be detected in the environment. The intended audience of this research includes state, local, and federal agencies interested in conducting microplastic research, as well as academic and private research institutions.
Description:
As concern about the impact of conventional, petroleum-based plastics grows, bioplastics (BP) and degradable plastics (DPs) have emerged as potential sustainable alternatives. But the fate of BPs and DPs in the environment it remains unclear and some may breakdown into nano- and micro-plastics forms in a similar manner to petroleum-based plastics. Potential adverse ecological effects of nano- and micro-BPs and DPs are also unknown. If they do form nano- and/or micro-BPs and DPs, methods and approaches will be needed to measure and identify these classes of plastics under environmental conditions. To evaluate methods for identifying and quantifying these new plastics and to elucidate the fate of BPs and DPs in the environment, samples of cellulose acetate (CA), polycaprolactone (PCA), polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutrate (PHB), polybutylerne sebacate (PBSe) and polybutylerne sebacate co-terephthlate (PBSeT) were selected for assessment and subjected to simulated marine weathering conditions including ultraviolet light exposure, temperature, mechanical abrasion, and seawater. To initiate the investigation, selected plastics were mechanically degraded into macroplastic sizes (i.e., >5 mm) likely to enter the marine environment via improper-disposal practices. Following weathering manipulations, unweathered and weathered BP and DP samples were analyzed by pyrolysis-GC/MS to determine if weathering affected the ability to detect and characterize the plastics in environmental samples. The next set of experiments will assess the fate of the plastics under weathering conditions including the probability of the formation of nano- and microplastics. Findings from this investigation will provide useful information for better understanding the environmental fate of BP and DP in marine waters.
