Abstract
As plastics degrade in the environment, chemical oxidation of the plastic surface enables inorganics to adsorb and form inorganic coatings, likely through a combination of adsorption of minerals and in situ mineral formation. The presence of inorganic coatings on aged plastics has negative implications for plastics fate, hindering our ability to recycle weathered plastics and increasing the potential for plastics to adsorb contaminants. Inorganic coatings formed on terrestrially weathered polyethylene were characterized using synchrotron spectroscopy and microscopy techniques across spatial scales including optical microscopy, nano-X-ray-fluorescence mapping (nano-XRF), nano-X-ray absorption near edge structure (nano-XANES), and high-energy resolution fluorescence detected-XANES (HERFD-XANES). Results indicate a heterogeneous elemental distribution and speciation which includes inorganics common to soil terrestrial environments including iron oxides and oxyhydroxides, aluminosilicates, and carbonates.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 538-542 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Environmental Science and Technology Letters |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 13 2023 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Environmental Chemistry
- Ecology
- Water Science and Technology
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Pollution
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Keywords
- metal oxides
- plastics
- polymers
- spectroscopy
- weathering