Transport and release of chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife.
Plastics debris in the marine environment, including resin pellets, fragments and microscopic plastic fragments, contain organic contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides (2,2'-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane, hexachlorinated hexanes), polybrominated diphenylethers, alkylphenols and bisphenol A, at concentrations from sub ng g(-1) to microg g(-1). Some of these compounds are added during plastics manufacture, while others adsorb from the surrounding seawater. Concentrations of hydrophobic contaminants adsorbed on plastics showed distinct spatial variations reflecting global pollution patterns. Model calculations and experimental observations consistently show that polyethylene accumulates more organic contaminants than other plastics such as polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride. Both a mathematical model using equilibrium partitioning and experimental data have demonstrated the transfer of contaminants from plastic to organisms. A feeding experiment indicated that PCBs could transfer from contaminated plastics to streaked shearwater chicks. Plasticizers, other plastics additives and constitutional monomers also present potential threats in terrestrial environments because they can leach from waste disposal sites into groundwater and/or surface waters. Leaching and degradation of plasticizers and polymers are complex phenomena dependent on environmental conditions in the landfill and the chemical properties of each additive. Bisphenol A concentrations in leachates from municipal waste disposal sites in tropical Asia ranged from sub microg l(-1) to mg l(-1) and were correlated with the level of economic development.
Teuten
Emma L
EL
Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Marine Institute University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK.
Saquing
Jovita M
JM
Knappe
Detlef R U
DR
Barlaz
Morton A
MA
Jonsson
Susanne
S
Björn
Annika
A
Rowland
Steven J
SJ
Thompson
Richard C
RC
Galloway
Tamara S
TS
Yamashita
Rei
R
Ochi
Daisuke
D
Watanuki
Yutaka
Y
Moore
Charles
C
Viet
Pham Hung
PH
Tana
Touch Seang
TS
Prudente
Maricar
M
Boonyatumanond
Ruchaya
R
Zakaria
Mohamad P
MP
Akkhavong
Kongsap
K
Ogata
Yuko
Y
Hirai
Hisashi
H
Iwasa
Satoru
S
Mizukawa
Kaoruko
K
Hagino
Yuki
Y
Imamura
Ayako
A
Saha
Mahua
M
Takada
Hideshige
H
D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001717:Birds / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D020387:Food Chain; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D010575:Pesticides; D010578:Petroleum; D010636:Phenols; D010969:Plastics; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014866:Waste Products; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds