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

ABSTRACT: Large amounts of plastics are released into the environment every day. These released plastics have a clearly documented negative effect on wildlife. Much research attention has been given to large plastic pieces and microplastics. However, if the breakdown of plastics is a continous process, eventually nanoplastics will be produced. Nanoplastics will affect wildlife differently from larger plastic pieces. We have studied the products formed by the mechanical breakdown of two commonly used polystyrene products, takeaway coffee cup lids and expanded polystyrene foam. After breakdown using a food processor, we characterized the breakdown products using seven different methods and found nanosized polystyrene particles with different shapes and negative or nearly neutral surface charges. These

SUBMITTER: Ekvall MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9473236 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature