Insight into the fate of bioplastic and similar plant-based material debris in aquatic environments via continuous monitoring of their leachate composition – Release of carbon, metals, and additives

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985874%3A_____%2F24%3A00587991" target="_blank" >RIV/67985874:_____/24:00587991 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724050630" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724050630</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174913" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174913</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Insight into the fate of bioplastic and similar plant-based material debris in aquatic environments via continuous monitoring of their leachate composition – Release of carbon, metals, and additives

Original language description

Currently, the environmental problems associated with plastic production and waste, such as the consequences of worldwide pollution of natural waters with microplastics, have led to the seeking of alternative materials that can at least partially replace conventional petroleum-based plastics. Substitute materials include bioplastics and similar plant-based materials or their composites. However, their fate when disposed of in unintended environments (e.g., water bodies) remains largely unknown, while such information is highly desirable prior to massive expansion of exploiting such materials. This study aims to contribute filling this knowledge gap. Specifically, 19 different types of bioplastic and similar plant-based material debris (corresponding to the size of microplastics) were kept in long-term contact with water to mimic their behaviour as water pollutants, and the leachates were continuously analysed. Eighteen of the 19 investigated materials released significant amounts of dissolved organic carbon—up to 34.0 mg per g of debris after 12 weeks of leaching. Each leachate also contained one or more of the following elements: Al, B, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, N, Na, P, Si, Ti, and Zn. Non-targeted analysis aimed at providing more specific insight into the leachate composition tentatively revealed 91 individual chemicals, mostly fatty acids and other carboxylic acids, phthalates, terephthalates, adipates, phenols, amides, alcohols, or organophosphates. Based on the compound characteristics, they might be additives, nonintentionally added substances, as well as their degradation products. In general, the current results imply that bioplastics and similar plant-based materials should be considered complex materials that undergo industrial processing and comprise additives rather than harmless natural matter. Additionally, various compounds can release from the bioplastic and similar plant-based material debris when deposited in water. It might have consequences on the fluxes of carbon, metals and specific organic contaminants, and it resembles some properties of conventional petroleum-based microplastics.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Science of the Total Environment

ISSN

0048-9697

e-ISSN

1879-1026

Volume of the periodical

949

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1 November

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

14

Pages from-to

174913

UT code for WoS article

001284041800001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85199717821