Identification and assessment of the impact of plastic waste on sediments

e widespread applications of plastics result in their accumulation and persistence in the environment when they are discarded, due to their resistance to degradation. Currently, microplastics, originating from additives used in everyday materials or the degradation of larger plastic objects, constitute the most abundant form of solid waste pollution on the planet. So-called biodegradable plastics have pro-oxidant additives such as stearates and Fe, Co, Ce, Ni, or Mn carboxylate. The accumulation of diverse microplastics is also a concern due to their contaminant pollutant nature, interacting with metal ions, especially of heavy metals. Microplastics alter the migration and transformation of metal ions with a consequent impact on their environmental presence, thus necessitating an investigation into the mechanisms and characteristics of the interaction between these ions and microplastics for an accurate assessment of their ecological impact. Given this perspective, the aim of this study is to characterize some metal content in plastic pellets of different polymers to assess their contribution to the dispersion of these elements in the environment. (author)