A predictive model to assess the accumulation of microplastics in the natural environment.

The use of plastics inevitably leads to (micro-)plastics entering and accumulating in the natural environment, affecting biodiversity, food security and human health. Currently, a comprehensive and universally applicable methodology to quantify microplastic accumulation in the natural environment is lacking. This study proposes an integrated biodegradation model that provides the possibility to examine and compare the microplastic formation and accumulation of different polymer types in diverse natural environments.

Unexpected Susceptibility of Poly(ethylene furanoate) to UV Irradiation: A Warning Light for Furandicarboxylic Acid?

Poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) is widely advocated as a renewable alternative to the fossil-based polyester poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). Whereas the UV stability of PET is well-studied, little is known for PEF. Here, we compare the UV stability of both polyesters after 500 h of UV irradiation in a Q-SUN xenon arc chamber.

Poly(aryl cyanurate)-Based Thin-Film Composite Nanofiltration Membranes.

The successful synthesis of poly(aryl cyanurate) nanofiltration membranes via the interfacial polymerization reaction between cyanuric chloride and 1,1,1-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane (TPE), atop a polyethersulfone ultrafiltration support, is demonstrated. The use of cyanuric chloride allows for the formation of a polymer that does not contain hydrolysis-susceptible amide bonds that inherently limit the stability of polyamide nanofiltration membranes. In order to achieve a thin defect-free cross-linked film via interfacial polymerization, a sufficient number of each monomer should react.