Polystyrene Foam Research Articles

ON THE DEPENDENCE OF THE TEMPERATURE INTENSITY OF HEAT TRANSFER IN MULTILAYER ENCLOSURE STRUCTURES IN THE CONDITIONS OF NORTHERN KAZAKHSTAN

"The article presents studies on the intensity of the influence of temperature on the heat transfer inside the cement sandwich panel, taking into account the intensity of the influence of temperatures in the ranges of positive and negative values when determining the temperature distribution curve inside Protective construction for climatic conditions in Northern Kazakhstan. Three-layer cement sandwich wall panels, which contain basalt wool and foam polystyrene materials as insulation layer, are considered. The research was carried out using the computer program «Comsol Multiphysics» using the method of finite elements. The study of temperature change kinetics according to the thickness of the structures of two types of cement sandwich panels with the aim of revealing sharp temperature changes affecting the processes of material destruction. It has been shown that the temperature influence during the transmission of the heat flow under both decreasing and increasing temperature conditions flows under softer conditions during the passage of the heat flow through a structure comprising basalt wool as an insulating agent. Keywords: temperature, heat transfer, intensity of action, enclosing structure, insulation. "

Identificación de las bacterias intestinales de la polilla de la cera mayor

Throughout the world, the use of industrial polymers derived from fossil fuels is practically inevitable because they have such a wide range of applications; however, the environmental problems arising from this practice have led to a search for alternatives which will allow their use to be reduced, as well as strategies for their control by degradation using biorganic active agents. Insects have been a focus of special interest, as some species consume plastics and may serve to biodegrade them through the action of bacteria in their digestive tracts. In this context, the object of the present study was to characterise bacteria present in the intestine of wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella). Thirty larvae were subjected to a diet based on polystyrene foam and thirty larvae in natural diet for 7 days. Gastrointestinal tracts were extracted and PCR was run. The results showed the presence of bacterial cells of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Brevibacterium sandarakinum, Pseudomonas psychrophila, Pseudomonas sp., Providence sp., Corynebacterium sp. However, the real action of these groups of bacteria in the effective degradation of polymers must be verified.

An evaluation model to predict microplastics generation from polystyrene foams and experimental verification

Microplastics (MPs) have caused global concerns due to their detrimental effects on ecosystems and even humans. Recycling aged plastic products ahead of MPs generation can be an effective approach to mitigate increasingly serious microplastic pollution. However, predicting MPs generation remains a great challenge. In this regard, we report a simulation method through associating plastics aging with mechanical failure on a time scale to predict MPs generation and give an experimental verification. The results indicate that the proposed evaluation method has high accuracy for predicting MPs generation from aged polystyrene foams. Under conditions of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and heat for 1000 h, the aged polystyrene foam generate significant microplastics (6.78 × 106 particles/cm3) by water scouring force after the expected aging time (400 h). Furthermore, the experiment results verify the synergistic effect of UV irradiation and heat on polystyrene MPs generation. This work suggests a new strategy to predict MPs generation from aged plastics in complex environments, which provides meaningful guidance for the use and recycling of plastic products.

WATER PREPARATION IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SYSTEMS

In these studies, methods of water treatment in hotel and restaurant systems are considered. Having studied the process of filtering water on polystyrene foam loading, the possibility of reducing the consumption of chemical reagents during subsequent liming has been established. Presented technologies of desalination and deep softening of water achieve a reduction in the consumption of reagents for the process, the elimination of secondary pollution by Cl-, Na⁺ ions. The possibility of controlling the liming process (stages of primary sediment formation from a homogeneous system) based on pH and Eh parameters has been demonstrated. The subsequent H+ cationization of a part of the flow with its subsequent mixing with the main flow after liming allows obtaining water for household purposes and the subsequent Na+ cationization of deep softening of boiler water with lower consumption of reagents for ionite regeneration. Strongly acidic cationite NRV 100R in the form of H+ and strongly acidic cationite C 100E in the form of Na+ were used as the studied ion exchange resins. The technology may include an additional filtering operation through a special loading in order to prepare water for health and cosmetic purposes. As a result of research, it was established that pre-filtering of water on polystyrene foam loading (filter) allows to reduce the consumption of reagent in the liming process, due to the reduction of the content of hydrogen phosphates, hydrogen carbonates, sulfates and hydrosulfates, for the extraction of which a significant amount of reagent was spent. A package of documentation for the production of a block-module complex for water softening and desalination has been developed. In the proposed installation, a sorption block with a special (therapeutic) load, approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine for the food industry and for water treatment of unlimited use (for health and cosmetic purposes) can be provided. Keywords: water treatment, water softening, hotel and restaurant business, styrofoam loading, filtering, liming.

A Numerical Simulation to Select the Optimal Thermal Agents for Building Parts

The use of thermal insulation is one of the most crucial solutions for reducing energy consumption when designing buildings. In this study, we investigate the use of various types of thermal insulation (air, cellulose, fiberglass, mineral wool, polystyrene, and polyurethane foam) to determine the best location when designing. The numerical study is done using ANSYS/FLUENT 16 software and an enthalpy-porosity formalism. According to the study's findings, all heat insulators investigated offer effective insulation, but some of them, like air, have characteristics that make them challenging to employ. The remaining insulators satisfy all requirements for usage as a thermal insulator. Given that it possesses all the necessary characteristics to be used as a thermal insulator, (polystyrene) is one of the most important insulators that are readily available locally. The use of thermal insulation in buildings reduces the need for refrigeration equipment to maintain comfortable conditions, which has a significant negative impact on the environment.

Soil heterogeneity in the horizontal distribution of microplastics influences productivity and species composition of plant communities.

Contamination of soils by microplastics can have profound ecological impacts on terrestrial ecosystems and has received increasing attention. However, few studies have considered the impacts of soil microplastics on plant communities and none has tested the impacts of spatial heterogeneity in the horizontal distribution of microplastics in the soil on plant communities. We grew experimental plant communities in soils with either a homogeneous or a heterogeneous distribution of each of six common microplastics, i.e., polystyrene foam (EPS), polyethylene fiber (PET), polyethylene bead (HDPE), polypropylene fiber (PP), polylactic bead (PLA) and polyamide bead (PA6). The heterogeneous treatment consisted of two soil patches without microplastics and two with a higher (0.2%) concentration of microplastics, and the homogeneous treatment consisted of four patches all with a lower (0.1%) concentration of microplastics. Thus, the total amounts of microplastics in the soils were exactly the same in the two treatments. Total and root biomass of the plant communities were significantly higher in the homogeneous than in the heterogeneous treatment when the microplastic was PET and PP, smaller when it was PLA, but not different when it was EPS, HDPE or PA6. In the heterogeneous treatment, total and root biomass were significantly smaller in the patches with than without microplastics when the microplastic was EPS, but greater when the microplastic was PET or PP. Additionally, in the heterogeneous treatment, root biomass was significantly smaller in the patches with than without microplastics when the microplastic was HDPE, and shoot biomass was also significantly smaller when the microplastic was EPS or PET. The heterogeneous distribution of EPS in the soil significantly decreased community evenness, but the heterogeneous distribution of PET increased it. We conclude that soil heterogeneity in the horizontal distribution of microplastics can influence productivity and species composition of plant communities, but such an effect varies depending on microplastic chemical composition (types) and morphology (shapes).

Smart material and design solutions for protective headgears in linear and oblique impacts: column/matrix composite liner to mitigate rotational accelerations

Oblique impact is the most common situation that cyclists experience during traffic accidents during which the human head undergoes both linear and rotational (angular) accelerations. Angular acceleration of the head is known to be linked to the majority of traumatic brain injuries. This paper proposes various solutions to mitigate angular accelerations of which an anisotropic column/matrix composite foam design is the most effective. This smart design allows tailor-made adjustment of shear and compressive resistance of the foam liner. Regarding helmet shells, tough fiber-reinforced composite materials such as self-reinforced polypropylene (PP) (Curv®) and silk/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were benchmarked against conventional brittle polycarbonate (PC). Results demonstrate the superior performance of silk/HDPE composite compared to PC in resisting perforation in localized impact involving sharp objects. Regarding the helmet liner, two configurations were studied particularly, a multi-layered and column/matrix design. Their efficacy was benchmarked against single-layer homogenous expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam of equivalent weight and thickness in linear and oblique impact using experimental and finite element methods. The results showed the superior behavior of the column/matrix configuration. Such smart design could be combined with other smart systems such as multi-directional impact protection system (MIPS) technology for possible synergy and enhanced performance in head protection.

A comparative study of the effect of multidimensional carbon fillers on polystyrene using supercritical carbon dioxide foaming

Due to its low thermal conductivity on average (~0.039 W/(m·K)), supercritical expanded polystyrene (PS) foam could be used as an insulation material in buildings to save energy and minimize the maintenance costs. However, the specific solubilizing and fast diffusing behavior of CO 2 in PS limited the formation of micropores and the further increase of macropores, which resulted in on limited decrease in thermal conductivity. In this study, one-dimensional carbon nanotubes, two-dimensional graphene, and three-dimensional activated carbon were loaded on PS using supercritical CO 2 foaming. The results demonstrated that all these three carbon nanomaterials doped on PS could generate more micropores and macropores during foaming. Moreover, the composite PS foams presented much lower specific thermal conductivity (0.360 cm 3 ·W/(g·m·K)), higher cell density (up to 3.23 × 10 14 cell/cm 3 ), and compressive modulus (up to 1.66 MPa), overwhelming those of pure PS. Particularly, the continuous infrared thermography measurements found that two-dimensional graphene thermally outperformed the others, meaning comparatively better heat insulation effect after foaming. Therefore, multidimensional carbon nanomaterials were promising to minimize the negative environmental impact of PS foaming while comprehensively reinforcing it. • The reinforcements of multidimensional carbon fillers on polystyrene were varied. • Graphene thermally/physically outperformed carbon nanotubes and activated carbon. • Improved coupling of its plasmon with phonon-polariton thermally enhanced graphene. • Carbon nanomaterials are comprehensively better fillers for polystyrene.

Distributed Fiber-Optic Calorimetric Dosimeter

A novel distributed fiber-optic calorimetric dosimeter is presented. The dosimeter sensors are thermally insulated spherical beads (calorimetric sensors) made of lead mounted on an optical fiber in constant steps. Under gamma radiation exposure, due to the calorimetric effect, the temperature of the beads increases proportional to the dose rate of the radiation. The temperature of the sensor is measured using a stimulated Brillouin scattering analyzer, which makes it possible to obtain the dose rate distribution over the entire length of the optical fiber at distances of up to several tens of kilometers. The results of the experiment confirm the linear nature of the dependence of the sensor temperature on the dose rate with a factor of 0.0027 °C h/Gy. The working range of the experimental sample of the dosimeter is shown to be limited to approximately 315 Gy/h–81 kGy/h. The upper limit of the working range is determined by the melting point of the polystyrene foam which is used to insulate the point sensors. This could be improved by utilizing more heat-resistant materials.

Study of the internal temperature of rigid polyurethane bodies using temperature sensors

This paper investigates the effect of filling polystyrene foam beads (EPS) on the foaming temperature regulation of rigid polyurethane (RPUF) composites and describes the temperature change process of the first 400 s of the foaming reaction for two systems with high foaming temperature and low foaming RPUF. Different contents of expandable EPS were used to regulate the foaming temperature of RPUF to reduce the internal structural defects of the composite foam material caused by excessive internal foaming temperature which is effectively optimized for its use and low cost. RPUF with HCFC-141B as the physical blowing agent and expandable EPS as the filler were studied. MATLAB software was used to simulate the foaming process of pure RPUF for both systems and to predict the foaming temperature. The comparison with experimental data was made, and it was concluded that the foaming temperature of pure RPUF was too high. In addition, the temperature of the EPS-doped PUF porous composites in the core region and the temperature variation of the upper and lower surfaces during the foaming process were measured using a probe temperature sensor. The internal temperature is represented by a three-dimensional temperature trapezoid. The maximum temperature of the foaming process decreases more rapidly with increasing EPS content. In addition, the high RPUF heat loss and the smaller EPS growth energy lead to an increase in the mass fraction.

Assessment of the environmental impact on the life cycle of polystyrene thermal insulation materials

The assessment of environmental impacts on the life cycle of thermal insulation materials is a complex task that has a significant impact on the market for heaters and the types of structures used. In this case, such important factors as the effective reduction of heat losses due to the use of foam plastics, the nature of raw materials for their manufacture, methods of processing and disposal, as well as possible effects associated with the presence of toxic components at different stages of the life cycle, should be taken into account. In addition to the analysis of generally accepted criteria related to energy costs, the impact on the greenhouse effect, the formation of photochemical smog, the destruction of the ozone layer, the acidification of water and soil, eutrophication, it is interesting to assess the local effects associated with the state of natural and man-made systems at all stages of the life cycle of thermal insulation products made of polystyrene. The article substantiates the need to assess the environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of expanded polystyrene in construction, including through the development of environmental declarations for these products. It is expedient to systematically collect waste heat insulation from expanded polystyrene, as well as to introduce modern methods of processing and disposal, including the use of biologically active living organisms. It has been established that the state of local natural-technogenic systems associated with the life cycle of expanded polystyrene boards correlates with indicators of global impacts in terms of ecological capacity and reproductive capacity for oxygen. Studies of boards made of graphite-containing polystyrene foam have confirmed lower environmental impacts, both by reducing the content of expensive polymer raw materials and by strengthening the structure.

Bending and compression performance of full-scale sandwich panels of hemp fabric reinforced cementitious matrix

Sandwich panels composed of fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) and extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) represent a light and insulating solution compared with other types of enclosure walls, such as steel-reinforced concrete (RC) panels. To improve the sustainability and lightness of FRCM sandwich panels used for building enclosures, this study proposes the use of hemp fabrics in contrast to glass fabrics. Modal analysis and bending and compression tests were conducted on full-scale panels with hemp- and glass-FRCMs. The results obtained from these tests indicate that the use of hemp fabrics with greater equivalent thickness and deformation capacity than glass fabrics make the production of ductile and strength (35 % more than glass-FRCM) sandwich panels possible. Nevertheless, glass-FRCMs allow the production of more stiffened panels. In addition, this study presents a simplified analytical model of sandwich FRCM panels based on the definition of cracked section strength, which is useful in the case of full composite action in the sandwich solution.

Estimating rock mechanical properties from microrebound measurements

Understanding rock mechanical properties is essential to many engineering geology applications. Comprehensive rock mechanics testing, however, is often not practical due to limited available sample volume, time constraints, and cost. Therefore, an alternative means for estimating mechanical properties at relatively low cost is desirable. In this investigation, we evaluate microrebound measurement on cut rock surfaces as a substitute for rock mechanical testing. We first explore the influences of rock sample thickness and testing substrate (material upon which samples rest) on microrebound, then perform systematic microrebound analysis of a range of well-characterized rock types with associated rock-mechanics datasets. Our analyses show that microrebound measurements are not sensitive to sample thickness greater than approximately 5 cm. Microrebound appears to be insensitive to the substrate among tested substrates including 2-mm-thick foam rubber, three different thicknesses of polystyrene foam (1.1 cm, 2.2 cm, and 3.6 cm), and standard lab tabletop. Strongest relationships between microrebound and rock properties are for unconfined compressive strength, tensile strength, and cohesion. Moderately strong correlations were found for density, Young's modulus, and porosity. A weak correlation was found for Poisson's ratio, and a very weak correlation was found for friction angle. Microrebound data can be obtained quickly and in a non-destructive manner using cut samples collected from outcrop or core, and at relatively low cost compared to traditional rock mechanics tests. Microrebound measurement can substitute for rock mechanics measurements for a multitude of applications in engineering geology where rock property data are needed, but full rock mechanics testing is not practical.

Design of Cold Storage Structure for the Storage of White Yam (Dioscorea rotundata) Tubers

Yam tuber (Dioscorea spp.) is a staple tropical tuber crop that is usually best eaten in its fresh form. However, inadequate preservation and storage can result in yam tubers deterioration immediately after harvesting due to their relatively high moisture content. All the traditional structures of preserving and storing yam tubers could not maintain their freshness for a long time. Therefore, the need for developing a new storage structure for the preservation of farm produce is needed. The major components of the cold storage structure are the frame, compressor, condenser, capillary tube, and evaporator. It would be fabricated with angle iron, galvanized mild steel, and stainless steel and insulated with 0.025 m thick polystyrene foam with the cooling system operating with R134a fluid. The total storage space was 0.2 m3 and it can store 100 kg of tubers of yam. The total heat load, compressor capacity, condenser capacity, and evaporator capacity were 0.204 kW, 0.46 kW, 1.6059 kW, and 1.37931 kW respectively. The structure has the prospect of being used for the preservation and storage of yam tubers and will be very useful in a developing economy like Nigeria.

Effect of impact velocity on molten aluminum and copper droplets igniting expanded polystyrene foam

Hot molten metal droplets with high fire hazard can easily ignite combustibles. Molten metal kinetics on the surface of a combustible material directly affects the ignition likelihood. Existing research focuses on the behavior of droplets during collisions, rarely addressing the ignition of combustibles by hot metal droplets. Here, the mechanisms of aluminum and copper droplets impinging on and igniting extended polystyrene (EPS) foam boards at different velocities were investigated. The relationship between the critical ignition temperature and impact velocity of droplets with diameters of 6 and 8 mm was experimentally studied for aluminum droplets; the critical ignition temperature non-monotonically depended on the impact velocity. For copper droplets, the relationship between the ignition probability and the impact velocity of droplets with diameters in the 3.5–7 mm range was experimentally studied. The most obvious difference between the two droplet ignition types was that the impact of copper droplets was accompanied by intense splashing, and the fragmentation extent positively correlated with the impact velocity. It was challenging to ignite using completely broken copper droplets. Droplets with the diameter of 5 mm were the most dangerous under the experimental conditions of this study, because the foam could still be ignited at higher impact velocities. Numerical simulations suggested that the main factors explaining the critical ignition temperature of aluminum droplets were gas mixing and splat cooling. The main factor affecting the ignition of copper droplets was fragmentation, and experimental observations were explained using non-dimensional droplet fragmentation theories.

Sustainable Lightweight Concrete Made of Cement Kiln Dust and Liquefied Polystyrene Foam Improved with Other Waste Additives

The main objective of this study is to mix two problematic wastes, cement kiln dust (CKD) and polystyrene waste liquified by gasoline, to produce a new lightweight cementitious material, as a green composite used in the construction industry. Various ratios of liquified polystyrene (LPS) were blended with CKD to achieve the optimum mixing ratio in the absence and presence of different additives. A significant improvement of mechanical properties (compressive strength of 2.57 MPa) and minimization of the porosity (51.3%) with reasonable water absorption (42.4%) has been detected in the mixing of 30% LPS with CKD due to filling the voids and gaps with liquified polymer. Portland cement, waste glass, and iron slag have been incorporated into CKD-30% LPS paste at different mass fractions of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. However, a considerable value of compressive strength up to 2.7 MPa was reported in presence of 15% of any additive material with CKD-30% LPS matrix. This study recommends implementing a viable strategy to upcycle any of the examined wastes of the optimum ratios (15% waste glass or iron slag with 30% of LPS) together with another hazardous waste, namely cement kiln dust, to produce lightweight cementitious bricks in eco-friendly sustainable technology.

Determination of the Long-Term Thermal Performance of Foam Insulation Materials through Heat and Slicing Acceleration.

Foam insulation materials are widely used in the construction industry due to their low thermal conductivity attributable to their microstructures and their low-conductivity blowing agents and affordability. In this study, we evaluate how the thermal performance of foam insulation materials used for the exterior walls of buildings, viz., extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyisocyanurate (PIR), and phenolic foam (PF), age over the life cycle of a building. To compare the aging of thermal performance during the life cycle of a building, each material was tested at 70 and 110 °C and with slicing acceleration according to EN and ISO standards. The thermal conductivity of each foam insulation material was measured using a heat flow meter at an operating temperature of 23 °C and converted into thermal resistance values. Different foam insulation materials have different aging procedures according to material-specific EN standards, while ISO 11561 applies the same procedure to all material classifications. Upon comparing the aged values according to ISO and EN standards to the initial values, the analysis showed a change rate of 23 to 26% in PIR and 18 to 20% in PF. In XPS, a rate of change of 10 to 23.8% was calculated. Our results indicated that the slicing acceleration induced a thermal resistance reduction rate about three times faster than aging at 70 °C. However, the long-term changed thermal resistance values of the foam insulation material applied via the calculating procedure specified in the ISO and EN standards were similar.

Different performances in polyethylene or polystyrene plastics long-term feeding and biodegradation by Zophobas atratus and Tenebrio molitor larvae, and core gut bacterial- and fungal-microbiome responses

The biodegradation of plastics by insect larvae is considered as an emerging strategy for the resistant plastic wastes disposal. To uncover the correlation of insect larval gut-microbiome with plastics biodegradation, two worm species including superworm Zophobas atratus and yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor were fed with either polyethylene (PE) or polystyrene (PS) foam as sole diet for a longer period of 45 days, sole bran diet was used as control. Rapid declines of survival rates and plastic ingestions after 30 days were observed, suggesting that long-term sole plastic diet was detrimental to growth and life cycle completion in both larval species. Both PE and PS plastics were found more extensively depolymerized and biodegraded in gut of yellow mealworms than that of superworms by GPC analysis. The larval gut bacterial- and fungal-microbiomes at day 45 were assessed by Illumina MiSeq. The results showed that both gut bacterial and fungal communities shifted upon sole plastic diet ingestion compared to the control. Gut bacterial communities were similar in PS-fed groups but significantly different in PE-fed groups between both species. In contrast, gut fungal communities were clustered by species in general, although they were similar between PE- and PS-fed yellow mealworms but were more divergent between PS- and PE-fed superworms. Analysis of the changes of relative abundances of dominant bacterial and fungal genera demonstrated the strong association between the distinctive gut microbiome and plastic degradation. For instance, Spiroplasma and Rhodotorula for PE degradation, Cryptococcus for PS degradation in mealworms. Issatchenkia for both PS and PE degradation, Pseudomonas for PS degradation in superworms. In conclusion, changes of both gut bacterial- and fungal-microbiomes diversities were associated with plastic feedstock types and larval species, especially fungal microbiomes were strongly associated with larval species.

A Novel Ocular Tonometry Task Trainer.

The measurement of intraocular pressure via ocular tonometry is a skill necessary for the evaluation of emergency department patients with ocular complaints. Accurate results inform the use of time-sensitive medications or invasive procedures. We sought to develop and evaluate an affordable, realistic, and reproducible task trainer to allow Emergency Medicine residents and medical students to practice tonometry. We placed an angiocatheter into the vitreous chamber of a swine eye through the optic nerve stump and sealed it with a purse string suture and cyanoacrylate glue. This allowed us to connect intravenous extension tubing and use a saline-filled syringe to repeatedly adjust intraocular pressure in real time. Optionally, this model can be mounted in a polystyrene foam mannequin head to enhance realism and facilitate practice. The task trainer was implemented in medical student and Emergency Medicine resident education at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Thirty-six learners participated in the study, all of whom completed pre-course and post-course surveys. Among all learners, the mean comfort with performing tonometry improved significantly (3.26 to 7.64 {Z = -4.95, p < 0.005}). The mean confidence in the accuracy of measurements also increased (3.11 to 7.56 {Z = -4.8, p < 0.005}). On a 10-point scale, learners felt this task trainer was highly helpful in increasing their comfort with and the ability to perform tonometry (mean 9.19 {SD 1.19}). We have developed a low-cost and easily constructed ocular tonometry task trainer that resulted in significant improvement in learner comfort and confidence.

The effect of polystyrene foam in different doses on the blood parameters and relative mass of internal organs of white mice

Due to their durability, versatility and economy, plastic products are widely used in all spheres of human life. Despite the inertness of polymers, recent studies show the ability of microplastic to overcome natural tissue barriers, accumulate in the animal’s body, affect metabolism and change the intestinal microbiota, negatively affecting it. In a 42-day experiment, changes in the internal organs’ relative mass, blood biochemical and morphological parameters of white mice were established under the influence of different doses of polystyrene foam in their diet. Four groups of white mice consumed crushed polystyrene foam particles (10%, 1% and 0.1% by weight of the feed, control group without the addition of polystyrene foam). At the end of the experiment, the morphofunctional state of the internal organs was determined by the organ mass index and blood biochemical parameters. Adding crushed polystyrene foam to the feed in an amount of 1% causes a significant decrease in the mass index of the heart and stomach, 10% – only the heart, and 0.1% – does not affect this indicator. Polystyrene foam had a significant effect on blood biochemical parameters, regardless of the dose, causing an increase in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase against the background of a decrease in the activity of alkaline phosphatase. The content of total bilirubin, urea, urea nitrogen and cholesterol decreased, and the concentration of creatinine and total protein increased (due to the albumin fraction). The use of crushed polystyrene foam in mice did not cause significant changes in the blood morphological composition, except for a dose-dependent increase in the number of monocytes. In the future, it is planned to determine histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical changes in the organs of laboratory animals under the influence of plastic in a laboratory experiment.