Open AccessMicroplastics Originating from Polymer Blends: An Emerging Threat?
Author(s) -
Xin-Feng Wei,
Fritjof Nilsson,
Haiyan Yin,
Mikael S. Hedenqvist
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
environmental science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.851
H-Index - 397
eISSN - 1520-5851
pISSN - 0013-936X
DOI - 10.1021/acs.est.1c00588
Subject(s) - microplastics , polymer , biodegradable polymer , polymer blend , environmental science , biodegradable plastic , matrix (chemical analysis) , materials science , environmental chemistry , composite material , chemistry , copolymer
No one can have missed the growing global environmental problems with plastics ending up as microplastics in food, water, and soil, and the associated effects on nature, wildlife, and humans. A hitherto not specifically investigated source of microplastics is polymer blends. A 1 g polymer blend can contain millions to billions of micrometer-sized species of the dispersed phase and therefore aging-induced fragmentation of the polymer blends can lead to the release of an enormous amount of microplastics. Especially if the stability of the dispersed material is higher than that of the surrounding matrix, the risk of microplastic migration is notable, for instance, if the matrix material is biodegradable and the dispersed material is not. The release can also be much faster if the matrix polymer is biodegradable. The purpose of writing this feature article is to arise public and academic attention to the large microplastic risk from polymer blends during their development, production, use, and waste handling.