Emission of greenhouse gases and volatile organic compounds from environmental plastic degradation

Background: Humans produce increasingly large amounts of plastics for food storage, textiles, construction and other purposes. These artificial polymer substances, which have been long assumed to be relatively inert chemically, release toxic chemicals to the environment. Recent evidence indicates that plastics when exposed to light, temperature, or microbial organisms transform into various organic products ranging in volatility. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) emitted from plastic, but its source strength from degradation of different types of polymers has not yet been measured comprehensively. Other volatile molecules such as monomers of plastics (e.g. ethylene, styrene, etc.) are emitted along with impurities or compounds used in the manufacture process, and are further oxidized in reaction with oxidants such as ozone, OH, or NO3. Little is known on the quantity and impact ofmicroplastics released to the atmosphere. It is critical to understand the chemical composition and emission rates of these potentially harmful speciesand how environmental change and projected plastic production could affectVOC composition and concentrations in the future. Objectives: (i) To conduct novel measurements of GHG, VOC and SVOC from various plastics under different experimental conditions (ii) To gain further insight into source apportionment of GHGs using VOC/SVOC as tracers (iii) to quantify how this might change in the future Novelty: This is a unique opportunity to use emerging experimental techniques, such as PTRQiTOFMS, to understand the chemistry from plastic degradation, and environmental and health impacts from released chemicals.
Timeliness: Emissions of a wide suite of chemicals from plastics are expected to increase in the future due to increasing production but also due to changes in temperature. With increasing awareness of the society of the harmful impacts from plastic degradation it is possible that efforts will be taken to reduce accumulation of plastics in our environment.