Collaboration:

Pau Winterplasma 2019

Project: Short Description

Introduction: Problem

Plastic production is all time high: 335 MT worldwide 2016 (Plastic Europe

2017)

Thermoplastics are a

versatile material. Tailor

made for application.

Momentary Risk Assesment

Plastic waste in the environment is also all time high, estimated release in

oceans yearly 8 Million Ton (Lambeck et al. 2015).

Momentary risk assesment environmental plastic is mainly based on

studies of pristine or virgin pellets. But complexity grows during producing

tailor made consumer products: additives, like colorants, are added.

Reference materials for PLASTOX.

Restricted metalls in the environment

Shore river Rhein XantenCd: 4152 ppm

Beached TexelCd: 3692 ppm

Eaten FulmarCd: 2171 ppm

Eaten FulmarPb: 130 ppm

Inhertance of the past in the environement.

Classification: 14 groups

Collecting the right sample

Goal: preparation of a more correct environmental

sample for further analysis: PTX001.

Composition of PTX001 is based on a beach clean up,

Texel (Van Franeker, 2005).

Collecting the right sample, composition

WMR prepared 5 batches of 1 kg

Each batch contained 351 samples

of plastic.

Identification of 351 samples with FTIR-ATR.

Sample preparation of 14 groups is reduced to 4 and fragmentated with

cryogenic (LN) ultra centrifugal milling:

- Ropes and nets

- Sheets

- Foam

- Rest

Homogenized

(w/w) to PTX001

Preparation of the right sample

EDX-RF:

Shimadzu EDX-720

Element analysis: EDX-RF

Sample preparation: none, prepared samples can be used.

Callibration: restricted on 7 elements, more information: see paper.

Results: EDX-RF

Limitations EDX-RF:

- Sample matrix (crystallinity varies)

- Sensitivity Na, Mg, Al and P low

- Callibration (solid): labour intensive and expensive

ICP-OES:

Shimadzu ICPE-9000

Sample preparation:

microwave digestion (CEM

Mars 5) in HNO3 (65%).

(More information: see paper.)

Callibrated: 34 elements, more information: see paper.

Element analysis: ICP-OES

Results: ICP-OES

ICP-MS: measurements done by SINTEF (Norway)

Agilent 8800 Triple Quadrople

Sample preparation: microwave digestion (Milestone Ethos) in HNO3 and

HF. (More information: see paper.)

Callibrated: 13 elements, more information: see paper.

Element analysis: ICP-MS

Results: ICP-MS

Main results are comparable.

Comparision results

Samples ICP-OES, ICP-MS

and EDX-RF are from different

batches.

These first results show that an environment sample for laboratory

studies can be prepared.

Some remarkeble results

Al: Colorant and barrier

Br: flame retardant?

Sb: catalyst PET

Cd: colorant and stabiliser

To describe

elements in

plastic and their

possible effects:

further research

is necessary

Preparation of environmental relevant samples isn‘t easy.

Beaches are flooded with the legacy of the past.

Some thoughts….

Questions?

Thank you for your attention