Leaching of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate from biodegradable and conventional microplastics and the potential risks.

There has been a growing concern about plastic pollution, both from a health and ecological perspective. One of the major concerns with plastic debris, especially microplastics (MPs) relates to their strong potential for releasing additives and chemicals. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is a common plastic additive widely used as plasticizer in plastic products, and is of global concern due to its widespread contamination in the environment.

Micro- and nanoplastics released from biodegradable and conventional plastics during degradation: Formation, aging factors, and toxicity.

The use of biodegradable plastics may solve the pollution caused by conventional plastics in the future. However, microplastics and nanoplastics are produced during the aging process of biodegradable plastics. This work evaluated the formation of secondary microplastics and nanoplastics and the effects of aging factors (UV radiation and mechanical forces) during the degradation processes of various biodegradable plastics (poly(butylene adipate co-terephtalate) (PBAT), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), and polylactic acid (PLA)) and conventional plastics (polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)).