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Nanoscale Coloristic Pigments: Upper Limits on Releases from Pigmented Plastic during Environmental Aging, In Food Contact, and by Leaching
journal contribution
posted on 2017-10-08, 00:00 authored by Nicole Neubauer, Lorette Scifo, Jana Navratilova, Andreas Gondikas, Aiga Mackevica, Daniel Borschneck, Perrine Chaurand, Vladimir Vidal, Jerome Rose, Frank von der Kammer, Wendel WohllebenThe
life cycle of nanoscale pigments in plastics may cause environmental
or human exposure by various release scenarios. We investigated spontaneous
and induced release with mechanical stress during/after simulated
sunlight and rain degradation of polyethylene (PE) with organic and
inorganic pigments. Additionally, primary leaching in food contact
and secondary leaching from nanocomposite fragments with an increased
surface into environmental media was examined. Standardized protocols/methods
for release sampling, detection, and characterization of release rate
and form were applied: Transformation of the bulk material was analyzed
by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray-tomography and Fourier-Transform
Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); releases were quantified by Inductively
Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), single-particle-ICP-MS
(sp-ICP-MS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Analytical Ultracentrifugation
(AUC), and UV/Vis spectroscopy. In all scenarios, the detectable particulate
releases were attributed primarily to contaminations from handling
and machining of the plastics, and were not identified with the pigments,
although the contamination of 4 mg/kg (Fe) was dwarfed by the intentional
content of 5800 mg/kg (Fe as Fe2O3 pigment).
We observed modulations (which were at least partially preventable
by UV stabilizers) when comparing as-produced and aged nanocomposites,
but no significant increase of releases. Release of pigments was negligible
within the experimental error for all investigated scenarios, with
upper limits of 10 mg/m2 or 1600 particles/mL. This is
the first holistic confirmation that pigment nanomaterials remain
strongly contained in a plastic that has low diffusion and high persistence
such as the polyolefin High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).
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Keywords
nanocomposite fragmentsEnvironmental AgingFTIRrelease scenariosfood contactScanning Electron MicroscopyPEHDPErain degradationFe 2 O 3 pigmentlife cyclerelease ratebulk materialTEMSEMpolyolefin High Density PolyethylenemgUpper LimitsNanoscale Coloristic Pigmentsrelease samplingAUCFood ContactPlasma Mass Spectrometrypigment nanomaterialsnanoscale pigmentsICP-MSUV stabilizers
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