Plasticiser leaching from polyvinyl chloride microplastics and the implications for environmental risk assessment

Alexandra M Gulizia; Bronson Philippa; Jessica Zacharuk; Cherie A Motti; George Vamvounis

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115392

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Plasticiser leaching from polyvinyl chloride microplastics and the implications for environmental risk assessment

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Plasticiser leaching from polyvinyl chloride microplastics and the implications for environmental risk assessment

Alexandra M Gulizia, Bronson Philippa, Jessica Zacharuk, Cherie A Motti and George Vamvounis

Marine pollution bulletin, Vol.195, 115392

2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115392

PMID: 37690404

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Abstract

Microplastics

Plasticiser leaching

Pipeline decommissioning

Water quality

Microplastics in aquatic environments is a growing concern, particularly due to the leaching of chemical additives such as plasticisers. To develop comprehensive environmental risk assessments (ERAs) of high-concern polymers and plasticisers, an understanding of their leachability is required. This work investigated diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and bisphenol A (BPA) leaching from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics (average diameter = 191 μm) under simulated marine conditions. Leaching behaviours were quantified using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and the polymer's physiochemical properties analysed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and optical microscopy. Experimental data were fitted to a diffusion and boundary layer model, which found that BPA leaching was temperature-dependent (diffusion-limited), whereas DEHP leaching was controlled by surface rinsing. Model predictions also highlighted the importance of microplastic size on leaching dynamics. These data contribute towards greater accuracy in ERAs of microplastics, with implications for water quality and waste management, including decommissioning of plastic infrastructure.

Details

Title: Plasticiser leaching from polyvinyl chloride microplastics and the implications for environmental risk assessment
Authors/Creators: Alexandra M Gulizia - AIMS@JCU
Bronson Philippa - James Cook University
Jessica Zacharuk - James Cook University
Cherie A Motti - James Cook University
George Vamvounis - James Cook University
Publication Details: Marine pollution bulletin, Vol.195, 115392
Identifiers: 991005884854107891
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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