title: Transport and release of chemicals from plastics to the environment and to wildlife.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Marine Institute University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Emma L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Teuten
authors.forename: Jovita M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Saquing
authors.forename: Detlef R U
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Knappe
authors.forename: Morton A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Barlaz
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Björn
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Tamara S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Galloway
authors.forename: Rei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanuki
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Pham Hung
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Viet
authors.forename: Touch Seang
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tana
authors.forename: Maricar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prudente
authors.forename: Ruchaya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boonyatumanond
authors.forename: Mohamad P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Kongsap
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akkhavong
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwasa
authors.forename: Kaoruko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizukawa
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hagino
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Mahua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Hideshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takada
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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