Plasticiser leaching from polyvinyl chloride microplastics and the implications for environmental risk assessment

Alexandra M Gulizia; Bronson Philippa; Jessica Zacharuk; Cherie A Motti; George Vamvounis

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115392

Plasticiser leaching from polyvinyl chloride microplastics and the implications for environmental risk assessment

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Oct:195:115392. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115392. Epub 2023 Sep 12.

Authors

Alexandra M Gulizia¹, Bronson Philippa², Jessica Zacharuk¹, Cherie A Motti³, George Vamvounis⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia; AIMS@JCU, Division of Research and Innovation, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
² College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia. Electronic address: bronson.philippa@jcu.edu.au.
³ AIMS@JCU, Division of Research and Innovation, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia.
⁴ College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia. Electronic address: george.vamvounis@jcu.edu.au.

PMID: 37690404
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115392

Abstract

Microplastics in aquatic environments is a growing concern, particularly due to the leaching of chemical additives such as plasticisers. To develop comprehensive environmental risk assessments (ERAs) of high-concern polymers and plasticisers, an understanding of their leachability is required. This work investigated diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and bisphenol A (BPA) leaching from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics (average diameter = 191 μm) under simulated marine conditions. Leaching behaviours were quantified using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and the polymer's physiochemical properties analysed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and optical microscopy. Experimental data were fitted to a diffusion and boundary layer model, which found that BPA leaching was temperature-dependent (diffusion-limited), whereas DEHP leaching was controlled by surface rinsing. Model predictions also highlighted the importance of microplastic size on leaching dynamics. These data contribute towards greater accuracy in ERAs of microplastics, with implications for water quality and waste management, including decommissioning of plastic infrastructure.

Keywords: Microplastics; Pipeline decommissioning; Plasticiser leaching; Water quality.