Aging Processes of Polyethylene Mulch Films and Preparation of Microplastics with Environmental Characteristics

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 107; no. 4; pp. 736 - 740
• Main Authors: Wang, Ting, Ma, Yini, Ji, Rong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aging; Aging (natural); Aquatic Pollution; Cracks; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Fourier transforms; Functional groups; Infrared spectroscopy; Irradiation; Laboratories; Mechanical properties; Microplastics; Plastic debris; plastic film mulches; Pollution; Polyethylene; Polyethylenes; Soil Science & Conservation; strength (mechanics); toxicology; Ultraviolet radiation; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Laboratory preparation; Aging; Polyethylene; UV irradiation; Microplastics; Mulch films
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-020-02975-x

In this study, we explored the aging processes of a commercial polyethylene (PE) mulch film under UV irradiation and compared the laboratory aged films with films aged in nature. Overall, the aged films obtained from laboratory conditions were similar with that from natural conditions. Among the investigated factors, UV irradiation was crucial in the aging of the films, producing cracks and oxygen-containing functional groups on the films surface, constantly with natural aging. The formation of cracks induced a decrease of mechanical strength as well as the formation of MPs on the surface. The chemical oxidations detected by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) usually happened after the observed physical changes during aging. Moreover, a protocol was developed for laboratory preparation of MPs with characteristics similar with that from environmental aging and PE MPs with sizes of 2–400 μm could be produced in large amounts at relatively short period of time.