PLASTIC’S METALIC IMPURITIES AND ENVIORMENTAL IMPACT.

The metallic impurities in plastic products, especially toxic metals used as additives, can have severe environmental consequences. Reducing the use of hazardous metals in plastics and improving plastic waste management are important steps to mitigate these impacts.

1. PLASTIC’S METALIC IMPURITIES AND ENVIORMENTAL IMPACT. 1

2. Contents :- Introduction. Metallic Impurities. Determination. Pollutant. 2

3. Introduction :- What is plastic ? P lastics are a wide range of semi-synthetic or synthetic substances that contains polymers as their main ingredient. Polymers are based on large molecules or macromolecules composed of chemical building blocks known as the 'repeat unit'. The plasticity during production enables the plastic to be moulded , extruded or pressed into solid objects of different shapes. It makes the material to be able to adapt accordingly and is useful in various ranges of applications. 3

4. Types Of Plastics :- Polyethylene terephthalate High-density polyethylene (HDPE) Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Polypropylene (PP) Polystyrene (PS) Acrylic Cellulosic plastics. 4

5. Applications Of Plastics :- Aerospace   Construction Electrical and electronic applications Packaging Automotive Energy generation Medical and healthcare Military Marine 5

6. Metallic impurities :- What is metallic impurities ? Additives and catalysts used in plastics were based on compounds of toxic metals like arsenic, cadmium, chromium(vi), and lead. Some additives remain in plastics in societal circulation because of the pervasiveness of many products and the more general contamination of recycled goods PVC requires more toxic additives than any other plastic. These include heavy metals such as lead and organotins to stabilize PVC, chromium and cadmium to color it, and plasticizers such as phthalates to make it flexible. Polystyrene (PS) is one type of microplastics and this include lead, cadmium, copper, and zinc. Pb was consistently more highly adsorbed by MP’s , followed by cu, zn , and cd A crylic paints contain harmful heavy metals like cadmium, chromium, and cobalt.  6

7. Determination Of Heavy Metals :- Step-1 : Sampling. It is the most important step for analysis to get better results. Sample of plastics cleaned by chemicals for de-inking & removal of unwanted particle. Step-2 : HNO 3 –H 2 O 2  digestion. About 0.2 g of sample and 20 ml of 65% HNO 3  acid solution besides, the sample was soaked for 30 min in the vessel locked with lid and then heated at 175 °C on the heat plate for 90 min. After digestion, v essel with digested solution was cooled down to room temperature. Again, add 10 ml of 30% H 2 O 2  solution and then heated for 60 min with lid at the same temperature. Finally, the vessel was uncovered to evaporate the solution for 15 min. 7

8. Step-3 : ICP Analysis. Dilute t he remained digested solution in milli-q water and filter through 0.45  μm membrane filters. Then transfer the filtrates and 2 ml concentrated HNO 3   in to 50 ml volumetric flasks. The 0.2 g sample was still remained in the filtrates because during heating it was covered with lid to protect from evaporation. Finally, 10 ml of solution was taken to a test tube for ICP analysis The contents of pb, cr , cd, as, cu, zn , in the solutions after acid digestion were analyzed by icp and calculated in mg/kg unit. 8

9. Impact of plastic on environment as pollutant:- Plastic is generally made up of chemical reactions that causes the harmful byproduct and itself shows hazardus characteristics to environment. Pollution of the environment by chemicals leached from plastics into air and water is an emerging area of concern. As a result, some compounds used in plastics, such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), have come under close scrutiny and regulation. These compounds have also been implicated in hormone disruption of animals in terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats. Effects are seen in laboratory animals at blood levels lower than those found in the average resident of a developed country. 9

10. S ynthetic plastics are largely  non-biodegradable , they tend to persist in natural  environments . Moreover, many lightweight single-use plastic products and packaging materials, which account for approximately 50 percent of all plastics produced, are not deposited in containers for subsequent removal to  landfills ,  recycling   centres , or  incinerators . Approximately 7 billion of the 9.2 billion tonnes of plastic produced from 1950-2019 became plastic waste, ending up in landfills or dumped. Amphibians ,  mollusks ,  worms ,  insects ,  crustaceans , and  fish  show effects on their reproduction and development, including alterations in the number of offspring produced, disruption of larval development Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being.  10

11. Most solutions to the problem of plastic pollution as focus on preventing improper disposal or even on limiting the use of certain plastic items in the first place. Fines for littering have proved difficult to enforce, but various fees or outright bans on foamed food containers and plastic shopping bags are now common, as are deposits redeemed by taking beverage bottles to  recycling   centres . So-called  extended producer responsibility , or EPR, schemes make the manufacturers of some items responsible for creating an  infrastructure  to take back and recycle the products that they produce. Awareness of the serious consequences of plastic pollution is increasing, and new solutions, including the increasing use of biodegradable plastics and a “zero waste” philosophy, are being embraced by governments and the public. 11

12. References:- Handbook of chemical technology and pollution control 3rd edition martin hocking AP publication (2005). Environmental pollution analysis, S. M. Khopkar , new age international publication (2011). FAN SERVICES – advanced materials testing & research lab Plastic pollution and marine conservation - 1st edition https://www.Britannica.Com/science/plastic-pollution/plastic-pollution-in-oceans-and-on-land https://www.Plasticsoupfoundation.Org/en/plastic-problem/plastic-environment/plastic-production-decomposition/ https://www.Plastichealthcoalition.Org/chemical-additives/ 12

13. 13