Extraction of organochlorine pesticides from plastic pellets and plastic type analysis

Maryline Pflieger (Author), Petra Makorič (Author), Manca Kovač Viršek (Author), Špela Koren (Author)

Abstract

Plastic resin pellets, categorized as microplastics (≤5 mm in diameter), are small granules that can be unintentionally released to the environment during manufacturing and transport. Because of their environmental persistence, they are widely distributed in the oceans and on beaches all over the world. They can act as a vector of potentially toxic organic compounds (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls) and might consequently negatively affect marine organisms. Their possible impacts along the food chain are not yet well understood. In order to assess the hazards associated with the occurrence of plastic pellets in the marine environment, it is necessary to develop methodologies that allow for rapid determination of associated organic contaminant levels. The present protocol describes the different steps required for sampling resin pellets, analyzing adsorbed organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and identifying the plastic type. The focus is on the extraction of OCPs from plastic pellets by means of a pressurized fluid extractor (PFE) and on the polymer chemical analysis applying Fourier Transform-InfraRed (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The developed methodology focuses on 11 OCPs and related compounds, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its two main metabolites, lindane and two production isomers, as well as the two biologically active isomers of technical endosulfan. This protocol constitutes a simple and rapid alternative to existing methodology for evaluating the concentration of organic contaminants adsorbed on plastic pieces.

Keywords

microplastics;resin pellets;pesticides;persistent organic pollutants;organochlorine pesticides;dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane;endosulfan;hexachlorocyclohexane;lindane;Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy;pressurized fluid extractors;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2017
Typology:	1.02 - Review Article
Organization:	UNG - University of Nova Gorica
UDC:	543
COBISS:	4839163
ISSN:	1940-087X
Views:	3665
Downloads:	0
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

URN:	URN:SI:UNG
Type (COBISS):	Not categorized
Pages:	str. e55531-1-e55531-10
Issue:	ǂIss. ǂ125
Chronology:	Jul. 2017
DOI:	10.3791/55531
ID:	10847426