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Microplastics generated under simulated fire scenarios: Characteristics, antimony leaching, and toxicity
Lingling Hu1, Juyang Fu1, Shuo Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|December 8, 2020
Summary
Plastic fires release significant amounts of microplastics (MPs). Burning polypropylene at 250°C dramatically increased MP generation and antimony leaching, impacting aquatic life.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
- Chemistry
Background:
- Plastics undergo thermal changes throughout their lifecycle, accelerating aging and fragmentation into microplastics (MPs).
- Fires represent a significant thermal event, yet the release of MPs from burning plastics is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physicochemical changes in polypropylene (PP) under simulated fire conditions.
- To quantify microplastic release from burned PP.
- To assess the impact of burned PP on antimony leaching and aquatic organisms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized atomic force microscopy and nanoscale infrared analysis to examine PP.
- Simulated fire scenarios by burning PP at 250°C in air.
- Quantified MP generation after trampling burned PP.
- Analyzed antimony leaching in various solutions and the effect of leachates on Microcystis aeruginosa.
Main Results:
- Heat treatment altered PP's surface chemistry and stiffness, increasing MP generation.
- Over 2.1 × 10^5 items/kg of MPs were released from PP burned at 250°C and subjected to external force.
- Antimony leaching peaked at 250°C, influenced by humic acid concentration.
- Leachates from burned PP significantly inhibited the growth and photosynthesis of Microcystis aeruginosa.
Conclusions:
- Fires are a substantial, yet overlooked, source of microplastic pollution.
- Burning plastics release harmful substances like antimony, posing risks to aquatic ecosystems.
- Further research is crucial to understand and mitigate the environmental impact of plastic fires.
