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The Emission and Physicochemical Properties of Airborne Microplastics and Nanoplastics Generated During the Mechanical Recycling of Plastic via Shredding



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  • Personal Author:
  • Description:
    This study examined the emission and physicochemical properties of microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) generated during shredding, which is regularly used in mechanical recycling. Waste and new polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and high-density polyethylene were investigated herein for a total of six categories. The concentration and size distribution of particles were measured using two spectrometer instruments, and morphology and elemental composition of emitted particles were analyzed with microscopy and spectroscopy. This study found that number concentrations in both submicron and micron sizes of respirable particles were 3-2910× higher during periods of shredding than pre-shredding background concentrations. Maximum concentrations of particles within 10-420 nm, across all six categories, ranged from 22,000- to 1,300,000-particles/cm3 during shredding, compared to average background levels of 700 particles/cm3. Maximum concentrations of particles within 0.3 to 10 µm, across all six categories, ranged from 24- to 2000-particles/cm3 during shredding, compared to average background levels of 2 particles/cm3. Waste plastics consistently generated higher emissions than their new counterparts, which is attributed to the labels, adhesives, and increased additives incorporated into the waste plastic. Morphology varied drastically between particles and an elemental composition analysis found that the samples consisted primarily of C and O, representing the polymer material, as well as Na, Mg, Al, Si, Cu, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Rb, and Br representing additives, label, and other contaminates. The shredding of plastic has the potential to expose workers to elevated concentrations of airborne MPs/NPs, especially those between 10 and 100 nm. [Description provided by NIOSH]
  • Subjects:
  • Keywords:
  • ISSN:
    2045-2322
  • Document Type:
    Text
  • Funding:
    Grant
  • Genre:
    Journal Article
  • Place as Subject:
  • CIO:
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  • Topic:
    Workplace Safety & Health
  • Location:
    North America
  • Volume:
    14
  • NIOSHTIC Number:
    nn:20070340
  • Citation:
    Sci Rep 2024 Oct; 14:24755
  • Contact Point Address:
    Candace S. J. Tsai, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), 650 Charles E. Young Drive S., MC 177220, Los Angeles, CA, USA
  • Email:
    candacetsai@ucla.edu
  • Federal Fiscal Year:
    2025
  • Performing Organization:
    University of California Los Angeles
  • Peer Reviewed:
    True
  • Start Date:
    20050701
  • Source Full Name:
    Scientific Reports
  • End Date:
    20270630
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:eee4612dadf9118087dff56e07cf60856279e8168a66937dedb9c630fe71c6871dea487fe900b62e5d4ddc9fd132092e6eeca9b6a73552dc9e0c999723967566
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 2.76 MB ]
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