Publication detail

Fragmentation of Disposed Plastic Waste Materials in Different Aquatic Environments

Plohl, O., Sep, N., Fras Zemljič, L., Vujanovic, A., Čolnik, M., Fan, Y.V., Škerget, M., Klemeš, J.J., Čuček, L., Volmajer Valh, J.

Original Title

Fragmentation of Disposed Plastic Waste Materials in Different Aquatic Environments

Type

journal article in Scopus

Language

English

Original Abstract

Among the most pressing environmental issues is the rapidly increasing accumulation and fragmentation of plastic waste materials, particularly in freshwater and marine environments. In this study, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste, as one of the major environmental concerns, was exposed to various aquatic environments in the form of plastic bottles and non-woven fibres to investigate the end-of-life behaviour and the formation of micro-, and nanoplastics during the degradation process. The research focuses on tracking plastic waste in model waters (with pH values of 4, 7 and 10) and real waters (seawater and tap water). Both the solid and liquid phases were analysed for fragmentation and leaching of plastics after one month of observation. In the solid phase, gravimetric analysis, presence of functional groups by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), morphology and size by optical microscope were measured. In the liquid phase, ecological parameters (pH, conductivity, turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC)) and micro/nanoplastic formation (particle size and FTIR analysis under the microscope) were characterised. The results show that PET debris litter to the aquatic environment, in the form of non-woven fibres, has greater negative environmental impacts on turbidity, COD and micro/nano fragment formation. The outcomes of this study indicate a potentially hazardous risk of improperly treated plastic material in various aquatic environments, especially with the type of material structure, such as fibre structure, due to the increased release of micro/nanoplastic into the aquatic environment, which may have serious eco-toxicological effects on wildlife. This study underlies that due to the rapid fragmentation of fibrous PET plastic material, the latter should be properly collected and processed.

Keywords

fragmentation; disposed; plastic; waste; materials; different; aquatic; environments

Authors

Plohl, O., Sep, N., Fras Zemljič, L., Vujanovic, A., Čolnik, M., Fan, Y.V., Škerget, M., Klemeš, J.J., Čuček, L., Volmajer Valh, J.

Released

1. 9. 2022

Publisher

Italian Association of Chemical Engineering - AIDIC

ISBN

2283-9216

Periodical

Chemical Engineering Transactions

Number

94

State

Republic of Italy

Pages from

1249

Pages to

1254

Pages count

6

URL

http://www.cetjournal.it/cet/22/94/208.pdf

BibTex

@article{BUT180273,
  author="Yee Van {Fan} and Jiří {Klemeš}",
  title="Fragmentation of Disposed Plastic Waste Materials in Different Aquatic Environments",
  journal="Chemical Engineering Transactions",
  year="2022",
  number="94",
  pages="1249--1254",
  doi="10.3303/CET2294208",
  issn="2283-9216",
  url="http://www.cetjournal.it/cet/22/94/208.pdf"
}