Nanoplastics formed during the mechanical breakdown of daily-use polystyrene products

Ekvall, Mikael T.; Lundqvist, Martin; Kelpsiene, Egle; Šileikis, Eimantas; Gunnarsson, Stefán B.; Cedervall, Tommy

doi:10.1039/c8na00210j

Cited by 198 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…If extremely small particles are desired, some alternative procedures to the sonication method presented here are available. PS nanoparticles (125-437 nm) can be produced by blending in a food processor (Ekvall et al, 2019). For PET, laser ablation delivers nanoplastic (Magri et al, 2018).…”

Section: Size Distribution Comparison To Environmental Mp Particles Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Simple Generation of Suspensible Secondary Microplastic Reference Particles via Ultrasound Treatment

et al. 2020

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In the environment the weathering of plastic debris is one of the main sources of secondary microplastic (MP). It is distinct from primary MP, as it is not intentionally engineered, and presents a highly heterogeneous analyte composed of plastic fragments in the size range of 1 µm−1 mm. To detect secondary MP, methods must be developed with appropriate reference materials. These should share the characteristics of environmental MP which are a broad size range, multitude of shapes (fragments, spheres, films, fibers), suspensibility in water, and modified particle surfaces through aging (additional OH, C=O, and COOH). To produce such a material, we bring forward a rapid sonication-based fragmentation method for polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polylactic acid (PLA), which yields up to 10 5 /15 mL dispersible, high purity MP particles in aqueous media. To satisfy the claim of a reference material, the key properties-composition and size distribution to ensure the homogeneity of the samples, as well as shape, suspensibility, and aging -were analyzed in replicates (N = 3) to ensure a robust production procedure. The procedure yields fragments in the range of 100 nm−1 mm (<20 µm, 54.5 ± 11.3% of all particles). Fragments in the size range 10 µm−1 mm were quantitatively characterized via Raman microspectroscopy (particles = 500-1,000) and reflectance micro Fourier transform infrared analysis (particles = 10). Smaller particles 100 nm−20 µm were qualitatively characterized by scanning electron microcopy (SEM). The optical microscopy and SEM analysis showed that fragments are the predominant shape for all polymers, but fibers are also present. Furthermore, the suspensibility and sedimentation in pure MilliQ water was investigated using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and revealed that the produced fragments sediment according to their density and that the attachment to glass is avoided. Finally, a comparison of the infrared spectra from the fragments produced through sonication and naturally aged MP shows the addition of polar groups to the surface of the particles in the OH, C=O, and COOH region, making these particles suitable reference materials for secondary MP.

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Section: Size Distribution Comparison To Environmental Mp Particles Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Simple Generation of Suspensible Secondary Microplastic Reference Particles via Ultrasound Treatment

et al. 2020

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“…54 In zooplankton, size-dependent toxicity has been demonstrated, 54 along with size-dependent uptake in zooplankton, fish eggs, fish embryos, and fish, which result in complex consequences. Thus, nanoplastics have been shown to traverse food webs from algae to zooplankton to planktivorous fish to piscivorous fish 54 and can cause changes in the behaviour and metabolism of the fish along this feeding chain. 54 It is extremely difficult to identify nanoplastics in biological samples, 55 in part because of their small size and also that they are chemically very similar overall to organic matter, and furthermore, merely knowing that they are nanoplastics is not enough, since they must be further identified in terms of their chemical structures.…”

Section: Nanoplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, nanoplastics have been shown to traverse food webs from algae to zooplankton to planktivorous fish to piscivorous fish 54 and can cause changes in the behaviour and metabolism of the fish along this feeding chain. 54 It is extremely difficult to identify nanoplastics in biological samples, 55 in part because of their small size and also that they are chemically very similar overall to organic matter, and furthermore, merely knowing that they are nanoplastics is not enough, since they must be further identified in terms of their chemical structures. From a survey of the literature, just one study appears to have been published to date, reporting the successful detection and chemical identification of nanoplastics in an actual environmental sample, which consisted of water taken from the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre ( Figure 5).…”

Section: Nanoplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…68 Many seabirds, sea turtles, seals, whales and fish have plastic items in their stomachs, 69 and microplastics have been found in the tissues and organs of fish and other marine creatues. 54,70 Plastic has been classified as a persistent marine pollutant. 71 Coral reefs are home to more than 25% of marine life, 72 and from an examination 73 of 125,000 corals across the Asia-Pacific region, where half the world's reefs are, it was found that 89% of those fouled by plastic were suffering disease, in contrast with plasticfree reefs, where all but 4% of the corals appeared healthy.…”

Section: Environmental and Human Health Effects Of Plastic Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Solving the plastic problem: From cradle to grave, to reincarnation

Rhodes¹

2019

Science Progress

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Plastic packaging accounts for 36% of all plastics made, but amounts to 47% of all plastic waste; 90% of all plastic items are used once and then discarded, which corresponds to around 50% of the total mass of plastics manufactured. Evidence for the ubiquity of microplastic pollution is accumulating rapidly, and wherever such material is sought, it seems to be found. Thus, microplastics have been identified in Arctic ice, the air, food and drinking water, soils, rivers, aquifers, remote maintain regions, glaciers, the oceans and ocean sediments, including waters and deep sea sediments around Antarctica, and within the deepest marine trenches of the Earth. They have also been detected in the bodies of animals, including humans, and as being passed along the hierarchy of food chains, up to marine top predators. Evidence has also been presented that microplastics are able to cross different life stages of mosquito that use different habitats -larva (feeding) to pupa (non-feeding) to adult terrestrial (flying) -and therefore can be spread from aquatic systems by flying insects. The so-called 'missing plastic problem' appears to be, in part, due to limitations in sampling methods, that is, many of the very small microplastic particles may simply escape capture in the trawl nets that are typically employed to collect them, but have been evidenced in grab-sampling experiments. Moreover, it is simply not possible to measure entirely through the vast, oceanic volumes of the oceans. It can, however, be concluded with some confidence that the majority of the plastic is not located at the sea surface, and indeed, several different sinks have been proposed for microplastics, including the sea floor and sediments, the ocean column itself, ice sheets, glaciers and soils. The treatment of land with sewage sludge is also thought to make a significant contribution of microplastics to soil. A substantial amount of airborne microparticulate pollution is created by the abrasion of tyres on road surfaces (and other 'non-exhaust' sources), meaning that even electric vehicles are not 'clean' in this regard, despite their elimination of tailpipe PM 2.5 and PM 10 emissions. The emergence of nanoplastics in the environment poses a new set of potential threats, although any impacts on human health are not yet known, save, as indicated from model studies. While improved design, manufacture, collection, reuse, repurposing and reprocessing/recycling of plastic items are necessary, overwhelmingly, a Article Rhodes 219 curbing in the use of plastic materials in the first place is demanded, particularly from single-use packaging. However, plastic pollution is just one element in the overall matrix of a changing climate ('the world's woes') and must be addressed as part of an integrated consideration of how we use all resources, fossil and otherwise, and the need to change our expectations, goals and lifestyles. In this effort, the role of deglobalisation/relocalisation may prove critical: thus, food and other necessities might be produced more on...

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“…9 Another environmental indication of the continuous break-down of plastics in nature is the presence of styrene oligomers in the marine environment. 10,11 Furthermore, it has been shown experimentally that plastics can be mechanically, 12 and photo-chemically 13,14 broken down to nanoplastics. Interestingly, nanoplastics released from biodegradable plastic, such as polyhydroxybutyrate, appear to have adverse effects on freshwater organisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlled protein mediated aggregation of polystyrene nanoplastics does not reduce toxicity towards Daphnia magna

Frankel

Ekvall

Kelpsiene

et al. 2020

Environ. Sci.: Nano

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Nanoplastics formed during the mechanical breakdown of daily-use polystyrene products

Cited by 198 publications

References 39 publications

Simple Generation of Suspensible Secondary Microplastic Reference Particles via Ultrasound Treatment

Simple Generation of Suspensible Secondary Microplastic Reference Particles via Ultrasound Treatment

Solving the plastic problem: From cradle to grave, to reincarnation

Controlled protein mediated aggregation of polystyrene nanoplastics does not reduce toxicity towards Daphnia magna

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