20.500.12556/RUL-169494 A screening of metal(loid) content in conventional and compostable plastic polymers understanding the sources and the connected environmental implications Plastic pollution is a well-known environmental issue, yet the ecotoxicological implications are still underexplored. In this context, attention towards the characterization of chemical additives in plastics and their potential risks to both human health and ecosystems is now increasing. While significant research has been conducted on organic chemicals, data on inorganic additives (e.g., metallic compounds) remain limited. In this study, we analyzed the metal(loid) content in different types of plastics to better understand the presence of inorganic additives in these materials, their distribution across different polymer types, and their potential impacts. We investigated pristine plastic pellets, single-use plastic materials and recycled plastic pellets made from both conventional and compostable polymers. We observed a notable enrichment of metal(loid)s (particularly Ti, Al, and Zn) across a range of plastic types, especially when comparing pre-production pellets with final consumer materials, suggesting that these additives are incorporated during the final stages of production. Samples of polyethylene terephthalate displayed elevated levels of Sb, while compostable plastics exhibited specific trends related to Sn and In: they are abundant in the pellets, since they are used as catalyst in polymer production. This study provides a comprehensive comparison of metal additives in different plastic polymers and across different production phases. It highlights the need for characterizing metal(loid) content in plastic to understand the potential connected risks. Additionally, the findings underscore the role of compostable plastics as potential carriers of metal(loid)s to terrestrial and aquatic environments, raising concerns about their degradation and impact. plastic additives pollution leaching microplastics trace elements plastični dodatki onesnaževanje izluževanje mikroplastika elementi v sledovih true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2025-05-30 09:59:31 2025-05-30 09:59:33 2025-08-22 08:29:47 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 10 str. Vol. 375, art. 126364 15 Jun. 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 504.5:678 0269-7491 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126364 237744387 RAZ_Binda_Gilberto_2025.pdf RAZ_Binda_Gilberto_2025.pdf 1 C52BD48CC6C4104AD0D8808B963D8A9F 4edc83da33893fe3401be7e59b4e56c98c25ab9c3b99743f46a3de9845660724 a3113a66-3d2b-11f0-b232-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=210909 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749125007377 1 b8138c95-3d2a-11f0-b232-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=210906 Fakulteta za kemijo in kemijsko tehnologijo 0 0 0