Chemical characterization of microplastic particles formed in airborne waste discharged from sewer pipe repairs

Brianna N. Peterson; Ana C. Morales; Jay M. Tomlin; Carrie G. W. Gorman; Peter E. Christ; Steven A. L. Sharpe; Shelby M. Huston; Felipe A. Rivera-Adorno; Brian T. O'Callahan; Matthew Fraund; Yoorae Noh; Pritee Pahari; Andrew J. Whelton; Patrick Z. El-Khoury; Ryan C. Moffet; Alla Zelenyuk; Alexander Laskin

doi:10.1039/D3EM00193H

Chemical characterization of microplastic particles formed in airborne waste discharged from sewer pipe repairs†

Brianna N. Peterson,

^a Ana C. Morales,

^a Jay M. Tomlin,

^a Carrie G. W. Gorman,^a Peter E. Christ,^a Steven A. L. Sharpe,

^a Shelby M. Huston,

^a Felipe A. Rivera-Adorno,

^a Brian T. O'Callahan,

^f Matthew Fraund,^j Yoorae Noh,^eg Pritee Pahari,^eg Andrew J. Whelton,

^eg Patrick Z. El-Khoury,

^ch Ryan C. Moffet,

^d Alla Zelenyuk

ⁱ and Alexander Laskin

*^ab

Author affiliations

* Corresponding authors

^a Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
E-mail: alaskin@purdue.edu

^b Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

^c Physical Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA

^d Sonoma Technology, Inc., Petaluma, CA, USA

^e Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

^f Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA

^g Department of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

^h Chemical Physics & Analysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA

ⁱ Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA

^j Fraund Consulting, Pleasant Hill, CA, USA

Abstract

Microplastic particles are of increasing environmental concern due to the widespread uncontrolled degradation of various commercial products made of plastic and their associated waste disposal. Recently, common technology used to repair sewer pipes was reported as one of the emission sources of airborne microplastics in urban areas. This research presents results of the multi-modal comprehensive chemical characterization of the microplastic particles related to waste discharged in the pipe repair process and compares particle composition with the components of uncured resin and cured plastic composite used in the process. Analysis of these materials employs complementary use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, scanning transmission X-ray spectro-microscopy, single particle mass spectrometry, and direct analysis in real-time high-resolution mass spectrometry. It is shown that the composition of the relatively large (100 μm) microplastic particles resembles components of plastic material used in the process. In contrast, the composition of the smaller (micrometer and sub-micrometer) particles is significantly different, suggesting their formation from unintended polymerization of water-soluble components occurring in drying droplets of the air-discharged waste. In addition, resin material type influences the composition of released microplastic particles. Results are further discussed to guide the detection and advanced characterization of airborne microplastics in future field and laboratory studies pertaining to sewer pipe repair technology.

This article is part of the themed collection: Contaminant remediation and fate

Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts

Chemical characterization of microplastic particles formed in airborne waste discharged from sewer pipe repairs†

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