All that glitters is litter? Ecological impacts of conventional versus biodegradable glitter in a freshwater habitat

Green, Dannielle S.; Jefferson, Megan; Boots, Bas; Stone, L. S.

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124070

Cited by 40 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…The damage this slime waste produces is further complicated by the various additives (e.g., glitter and microbeads) that they release into the environment as they decompose in landfills. Both glitter and microbeads have been shown to be harmful to the environment and particularly to sea animals. , It is also worth noting that, while making these slimes is popular with children, making slime is often unpopular with the adults that care for the children because slime can stain walls, damage furniture, get stuck in carpet, and get tangled in hair, and the slime fabrication processes waste valuable household items.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Safer and Greener Polymer Demonstrations for STEM Outreach

Boyd¹

2021

ACS Polym. Au

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Polymer demonstrations have become increasingly important within science, technology, engineering, and math education curricula. These demonstrations not only afford the opportunity to introduce students to polymers but also provide an avenue to educate students about the impact polymers have on the planet. Despite the educational value and recreational enjoyment polymer demonstrations can provide, there are serious health and environmental hazards associated with some of the historically common polymer demonstrations that should be addressed. This Perspective describes the benefits and consequences of the historically common polymer “slime” and “silly putty” demonstrations and then details alternatives that can replace them. Finally, a Methods section of healthier and safer polymer demonstrations with detailed protocols is included.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Safer and Greener Polymer Demonstrations for STEM Outreach

Boyd¹

2021

ACS Polym. Au

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“…Beyond the toxic effects on the health of living organisms in the ecosystem, other important changes, including the invasion of species, can occur due to the presence of those bio-MPs. For example, Senga Green et al [84] recently observed a twofold increase in the abundance of New Zealand mud snails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in the presence of modified regenerated cellulose glitter.…”

Section: Freshwater Ecosystemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodegradable plastics in aquatic ecosystems: latest findings, research gaps, and recommendations

Ribba

Lopretti

Oca-Vásquez³

et al. 2022

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Plastic accumulation's negative impact on aquatic ecosystems is a known and undeniable problem. Much of the scientific community's efforts are focused on the effects of the most common commodity plastics, but the consequences of the so-called biodegradable plastics in these ecosystems have been little discussed. Although their biodegradable characteristic generates the widespread belief that they are harmless to the environment, it has been proven many years ago that this property cannot be taken lightly. The material´s end-of-life fate is critical to classify it as biodegradable or not. In this context, many plastics classified as biodegradable do not meet the requirements of norms and standards to be considered biodegradable in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, during the last five years, the scientific community has shown that they can give rise to the formation of bio-microplastics during their degradation, which can have similar effects to those of conventional microplastics or even worse. This review will detail all recent information regarding how biodegradable plastics can influence aquatic ecosystems, causing adverse health effects in living beings or acting as vectors of chemical pollutants. Besides, the key points that must be addressed in greater depth will be identified, including the need to consider a greater variety of biodegradable plastics and develop systematic methods that allow quantifying and identifying the remains of these pollutants in living species. Another aspect to consider is the dynamics of arrival and mobilization of microplastics in the oceans. It should be studied how small animals fed by filterings, such as red crabs and other zooplankton organisms, move the microplastic through the water column and get into food webs. These particles are mistakenly ingested by the number of species at different trophic levels, where bioaccumulation in tissues must be considered a toxicity factor. Finally, a series of recommendations and future perspectives will be listed.

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“…3 The illustration of the multiple vector function of BMPs in the environment (BPA, Bisphenol A; PAHs, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) may inevitably have the potential impact on the environment in the process of use. BDPs also can be decomposed into microplastics and nanoplastics, and researchers have begun to investigate the potential effects of BMPs on the environment (Green et al 2021;Taylor et al 1994). Green et al (2016) studied the effects of polylactic acid microplastic (PLA) on benthic community growth richness and diversity, and the findings showed that the high concentration stress in sediments and the increase of respiration rate caused by PLA have adverse effects on biodiversity.…”

Section: Can Bmps Act As Stronger Vectors For Chemical Pollutants and Microorganisms?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodegradable microplastics (BMPs): a new cause for concern?

Wang

Lü

et al. 2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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With the increasingly serious pollution of plastics, biodegradable plastics (BDPs) have attracted attention as a new material that can replace conventional plastics in certain applications. The global production of BDPs also gradually increases in recent years. However, unfortunately, with the application of BDPs, some potential problems are gradually exposed. The biodegradability of BDPs needs suitable conditions, which is difficult for the natural environment to reach the necessary conditions. If the degradation conditions are not met, BDPs and conventional plastics are basically the same in terms of the longevity. The biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) can also be formed by BDPs entering the environment. Up to now, the research on the degradation and application of BDPs is relatively common. The environmental and ecological effects of the BMPs, the adsorption and release of toxic substances, and the role of BMPs as vectors of microorganisms, epiphytes, and plants still need to be studied. This paper focuses on the formation mechanism and the environmental behavior of BMPs. The role of BMPs as multiple stronger vectors of microorganisms and pollutants compared to conventional microplastics is also discussed. Systematic research on environmental pollution and ecotoxicology of BMPs should be carried out as soon as possible.

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All that glitters is litter? Ecological impacts of conventional versus biodegradable glitter in a freshwater habitat

Cited by 40 publications

References 54 publications

Safer and Greener Polymer Demonstrations for STEM Outreach

Safer and Greener Polymer Demonstrations for STEM Outreach

Biodegradable plastics in aquatic ecosystems: latest findings, research gaps, and recommendations

Biodegradable microplastics (BMPs): a new cause for concern?

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