A proxy-based approach to predict spatially resolved emissions of macro- and microplastic to the environment.

Large disparities on micro- and macroplastic concentrations are to be expected between residential, industrial, natural and agricultural areas, since specific uses of plastic will determine the magnitude of the corresponding emissions. The aim of this work was to develop a method to regionalize emissions of macroplastic and microplastic for soil, freshwater and air using geographical datasets on land-use statistics, traffic and population densities, wastewater treatment plants and combined sewer overflows as proxies. High resolution maps of the emissions were then generated for micro- and macroplastic using emission data available for Switzerland for seven commonly used polymers (low-density-polyethylene, high-density-polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, polyvinyl-chloride and polyethylene-terephthalate).

Dynamic probabilistic material flow analysis of rubber release from tires into the environment.

The presence of microplastics in the environment is currently receiving a lot of attention. Rubber particles from tire wear have been estimated in several mass emission inventories to be a major contributor to the total microplastic release. This work used dynamic probabilistic material flow analysis to quantify the flows of rubber particles from tires to roads and further onto soils and surface waters of Switzerland.

Systematic Consideration of Parameter Uncertainty and Variability in Probabilistic Species Sensitivity Distributions.

The calculation of a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) is a commonly accepted approach to derive the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of a substance in the context of environmental risk assessment. The SSD approach usually is data demanding and incorporates a large number of ecotoxicological values from different experimental studies. The probabilistic SSD (PSSD) approach is able to fully consider the variability between different exposure conditions and material types, which is of great importance when constructing an SSD for any chemical, especially for nanomaterials.

Polymer-Specific Modeling of the Environmental Emissions of Seven Commodity Plastics As Macro- and Microplastics.

Plastic has been identified as an emerging contaminant in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Uncertainties remain concerning the amounts present in the environment and the main responsible sources. In this study, the emissions of macro- and microplastics have been mapped for seven polymers in Switzerland.

Shifted equilibria of organic acids and bases in the aqueous surface region.

Acid-base equilibria of carboxylic acids and alkyl amines in the aqueous surface region were studied using surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Solutions of these organic compounds were examined as a function of pH, concentration and chain length to investigate the distribution of acid and base form in the surface region as compared to the aqueous bulk. Results from these experiments show that the neutral forms of the studied acid-base pairs are strongly enriched in the aqueous surface region.

Probabilistic Material Flow Analysis of Seven Commodity Plastics in Europe.

The omnipresence of plastics in our lives and their ever-increasing application range continuously raise the requirements for the monitoring of environmental and health impacts related to both plastics and their additives. We present a static probabilistic material flow analysis of seven polymers through the European and Swiss anthropospheres to provide a strong basis for exposure assessments of polymer-related impacts, which necessitates that the plastic flows from production to use and finally to waste management are well-understood. We consider seven different polymers, chosen for their popularity and application variety: low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).