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- Title
Influence of UV exposure time and simulated marine environment on different microplastic degradation.
- Authors
da Silva, Luana Freire; Soroldoni, Sanye; Kessler, Felipe; Fernandes, Andreia Neves; Pinho, Grasiela Lopes Leães
- Abstract
This study investigated the influence of environmental factors (UV radiation and salinity) in the degradative process of microplastics (MPs). MPs derived from polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) were subjected to accelerated photodegradation while being submerged in distilled water or artificial seawater. Depending on the polymer, changes in surface properties, new functional chemical group formation and oxidative index, and thermal characteristics of samples were observed. After photodegradation experiments, EVA-MPs samples showed an increase in their thermal resistance, besides the changes in their surface. PP-MPs crystallinity index increased upon exposure to UV radiation. PS samples showed a higher carbonyl and hydroxyl index after 30 h of UV exposure. The methodology exploited applies to any location in the world and can be comparable once considering the total ultraviolet index (UVI). The saline medium increases the crystallinity index of PP and EVA-MPs samples and intensifies the formation of new carbonyl and hydroxyl bonds in EVA-MPs samples. The results showed that several environmental factors should be considered in interpreting MPs photodegradation.
- Subjects
ARTIFICIAL seawater; ULTRAVIOLET radiation; GROUP formation; ETHYLENE-vinyl acetate; THERMAL resistance; RADIATION exposure
- Publication
Environmental Science & Pollution Research, 2023, Vol 30, Issue 58, p121450
- ISSN
0944-1344
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11356-023-30925-7