Atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations coupled with potential of mean force (PMF) calculations were employed to investigate the interactions between PVC polymer chains containing 6-20 repeating units and various plasticizers, with the goal of identifying potential replacements for the toxic plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) used in blood bags. The selected plasticizers belong to various chemical families, such as orthophthalates, citrates, adipates, and the terephthalate DEHT. Both the polymer and the plasticizers lack ionizable groups, and their interactions are primarily governed by van der Waals and electrostatic forces. A model correlating PMF profiles with interaction forces was developed and validated across polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymers of different lengths and all investigated plasticizers. This model provides insight into how structural variations in plasticizers influence their respective PMF values. The study ranks the investigated plasticizers based on binding affinity, identifying TOTM (tris(2-ethylhexyl) trimellitate, TEHTM), BTHC (butyryl trihexyl citrate, Citroflex B-6), ATHC (acetyl trihexyl citrate, Citroflex A-6, CA-6), and DEHT (bis(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate, DOTP/DEHTP) as promising alternatives for further investigation. This comprehensive study encompasses PVC polymers of four different lengths and 14 plasticizers, with all data averaged over 30 independent simulations. The approach provides a deeper understanding of molecular interactions, enabling the tailoring of polymer-plasticizer systems for diverse applications, including extractables and leachables, with relevance spanning materials science to biomedical engineering, and also serves as a basis for developing coarse-grained simulation protocols. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for designing safer and more efficient plasticizer substitutes and is well supported by other studies.

The accuracy of anode electrochemiluminescence (ECL)-based microplastic detection in seawater is undermined by ubiquitous reducing agents. These substances quench the signal by both competing for electrons with the emitter and coreactant to limit critical intermediate generation and directly deactivating the excited species via electron transfer, which induces nonradiative decay. In contrast, the cathode ECL system is free from such interference but is susceptible to the hydrogen evolution reaction and subsequent passivation inactivation of the emitter under a broad potential window. In this work, a surface-state-mediated band gap emission cathodic ECL emitter is introduced for the first time, synthesized via a laser irradiation to fabricate nitrogen vacancy-enriched graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). A unique ECL emission mechanism is exhibited within a narrow potential window, where electron-filled holes react with sulfate radicals to release sufficient energy for triggering intrinsic electron transition. A poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) microplastics sensor using as-purposed g-C3N4 as emitter was developed, achieving accurate quantification within a concentration range of 0.20 ng/mL to 0.20 μg/mL. Satisfactory sensitivity was enabled via rolling circle amplification strategy assisted by the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas12a. The study addresses a critical gap in current microplastic detection technologies and offers an original strategy for rationally designing and constructing novel ECL luminophors.

Enhanced Co-degradation of chloramphenicol and polyvinyl chloride in water by bioelectrochemical systems.

Aging processes and microplastic release behavior of aquaculture implements.

Distribution and characterization of microplastics in Narmada River: Insights from differently impacted anthropogenic zones of upper and middle basin in Central India.

Nitrogen and phosphorus addition mitigates microplastic community impacts on coastal saline-alkaline wetland ecosystems.

Multi-contaminants in road runoff of a compact city: Characteristics, interactions, and ecological risks.

Buried and forgotten: Plastic contamination in an ancient deep-sea fish lineage.

Laser direct infrared (LDIR) spectroscopy reveals microplastic sorting and risk evolution in a subtropical river-estuary-coastal continuum: Insights on risk assessment.

Thermoforming is a widely used plastic packaging method due to its af-fordability, high protective performance, and ability to prevent mechanical damage to fruits during transportation. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the thermoforming packaging moulding process, evaluate the structural strength of thermoformed packaging, and assess the effective-ness of various shaped thermoformed containers in protecting pears. The prototype design was based on different geometric shapes and dimensions, divided into four relief geometries: cylindrical (M1), semi-circular (M2), geodesic dome (M3), square (M4), and commercial dome shapes. According to the mould thermoforming process, the mockups of each pattern were modelled using SolidWorks software and formed using a 3D printer. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic sheets were formed in a container mould with a ther-moformed machine under the same parameter conditions of time, tempera-ture, and pressure. The compression resistance of the thermoformed con-tainers was tested. According to these findings, the compression force was higher in inferior thermoformed containers than in superior thermoformed containers. This is due to the relief size, geometry, and dimensions of the thermoformed containers. Then, thermoformed containers were employed to perform the dart drop impact test, with the pears dropped from heights of 20, 40, and 60 cm. The thermoformed container sample with a square shape (M4) had the lowest proportion of bruises (8.33%) on fruit. For container sample M4, the bruised area (BA) was assessed at drop heights of 20, 40, and 60 cm at 97.12, 140.75, and 206.02 square millimeters, respectively. Based on this finding, the bruise volume increased as the impact height increased. Additionally, a drop test was performed at a height of 90 cm using a thermoformed container with pears in a double-wall corrugated board for the BC flute. A higher total area of bruises on pears without thermoformed containers was observed in the evaluation of bruised damage. Therefore, this study concludes that the shape, size, and relief position of thermoformed containers reduce the damage caused by the compression strength and drop-ping height during transportation.

The driver of oil fate in nearshore environments: MOPAs-mediated vertical transport and ecotoxicity.

Contamination of microplastics and heavy metals in the antique ark Anadara antiquata (Linnaeus, 1758) from the East Java coast of Indonesia: bioaccumulation and potential health risk assessment.

Biomimetic Cu2+/Zn2+ bimetallic surface with glycocalyx-mimicking polymer for selective vascular cell regulation and enhanced hemocompatibility.

Assessment of potential health risk from microplastic contamination in packaged frozen seafood.

High-performance ZnO-modified aminated poly (vinyl chloride) thin film composite membrane for amoxicillin separation via forward osmosis process

Damages of aged-PVC microplastics exceed the enhanced resistance of chlorella pyrenoidosa induced by phosphorus limitation.

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants with potential human health implications. Although laboratory models implicate MNPs in oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption, a comprehensive synthesis of direct in vivo human evidence is lacking. We aimed to systematically review studies measuring MNPs in living human subjects and summarise associated health findings. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane and Embase through 26 December 2024. Two investigators independently screened and selected original research articles that quantified MNPs in biological samples from living humans. We excluded animal, in vitro, cell-line, and injection-based studies, as well as reports on non-plastic micro- and nanoparticles. Data extraction, performed in duplicate, included study design, participant characteristics, detection methods, polymer types, and reported health outcomes. Methodological quality was appraised using Risk Of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies-of Exposures (ROBINS-E). The primary outcome was the presence and burden of MNPs; secondary outcomes were clinical or biomarker associations. No metaanalysis was performed due to heterogeneity. From 5 522 records, 25 studies met inclusion. Studies employed pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (n = 9), Raman spectroscopy (n = 8), infrared spectroscopy (n = 7), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (n = 3), often combined with microscopy for MNP detection. Predominant polymers were polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene. In cardiovascular research (5 studies; n = 454), higher thrombus and plasma MNP burdens correlated with inflammatory markers and adverse cardiac events. Reproductive research (seven studies; n = 327) linked semen and tissue MNPs to reduced sperm quality and accumulation in tumor and placental samples. Gastrointestinal research (9 studies; n = 537) associated fecal MNPs with liver enzyme elevations and gut dysbiosis. Respiratory (3 studies; n = 171) and ocular (1 study; n = 49) research detected MNPs in airway fluids and vitreous humor respectively, with links to airway inflammation and increased intraocular pressure. ROBINS-E assessments indicated moderate to high risk of confounding and exposure-measurement bias; consistency across detection modalities was limited. Human in vivo evidence confirms that MNPs accumulate in multiple organ systems and are associated with inflammation and functional impairment. Methodological heterogeneity and bias constrain causal inference. Prospective cohort studies with rigorous exposure assessment and confounder control are needed to advance understanding and guide policy.

Abstract Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) releases chlorine containing organic components into the environment without proper disposal. Effective PVC waste management is therefore critical for pollution and emission mitigation. However, provincial-level evidence of PVC waste management in China remains limited, and the impacts of social and technological contexts on regional practices are still not well understood. This study focuses on the environmental footprints and mitigation potential of PVC waste management across various provinces by integrating material flow analysis and life cycle assessment in China from 2020 to 2050, explicitly capturing provincial heterogeneity in waste generation, treatment rates, and electricity structure. Mechanical recycling is identified as the most sustainable PVC waste treatment method, although its effectiveness is constrained by high contamination rates in construction-related PVC waste. With the expansion of renewable energy, chemical recycling is projected to become more competitive than energy recovery after 2025, particularly in northeastern and western provinces. Under largest renewable energy expansion scenario, the environmental footprints projected for 2050 include a carbon footprint of 1.14 Mt CO 2 -eq/yr, human health of 6.36 × 10 3 DALY/yr, resource depletion of -5.33 × 10 9 USD/yr, and ecosystem quality of 9.30 species∙yr. Province-specific mitigation potentials are strongly dependent on PVC waste composition, treatment capacity, and local energy policies. For the circulation of regenerated materials in various provinces, electric vehicles have emerged as a more viable low-carbon option than diesel-powered ones for transporting increased volumes of recycled products. These findings demonstrate that differentiated provincial strategies, alongside strengthened waste sorting and renewable energy integration, are essential for optimizing PVC waste management and advancing China’s circular economy transition.

This study investigated the biotransformation of three different plastic surfaces, polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE), by anaerobic digestion (AD) system microorganisms under mesophilic conditions. For that, a laboratory-scale AD system was established and plastics were immersed in the sludge for a 50-day incubation period, measured for any significant mass loss. Statistical analysis showed a significant mass loss (p < 0.05) in PVC pieces with a 1.1 ± 0.16mg average reduction, while PP and PE didn't show any significant mass loss. Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed temporally increasing novel peaks in PVC at 1729cm-1 corresponding to C = O stretching vibrations. This was considered significant and compared against an unchanged marker of PVC, revealing a newly identified peak that has not been documented in prior studies of this material. PP also indicated a temporal increase of novel peaks in the spectral range of C = C stretching vibrations in the region of 1512cm-1. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis of PVC showed a reduction in average roughness amplitude from 100 to 90nm in 30days and 65nm to 50days revealing surface biotransformation. Phase-contrast microscopy further confirmed surface embrittlement across all plastics. Several bacterial species that were associated with plastic biotransformation were isolated and characterized using 16s rRNA molecular marker gene-based identifications. In conclusion, this study suggests that, the changes to overall surface of the plastics and newly observed surface transformation of PVC leading to biodeterioration, by AD system microorganisms.

Nigeria generates about 2.5 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, but recycling plants processes only around 10% of this amount. Consequently, the rest of the plastic wastes are being dumped in terrestrial and aquatic systems with a huge negative effect human health and pollution problems. The most effective means to promote recycling is to introduce a low-cost plastic shredding machine that can help to reduce the size of the plastic to smaller pieces for convenient storage and transportation. However, the high price of foreign shredding equipment has made it hard for waste collectors to purchase. Hence,the main goals of this work are to design, to fabricate, and carry out performance evaluation of an affordable plastic shredding machine that can operate well and be suitable for small- and medium-sized recyclers. The design procedure was carried out using SolidWorks software which was in agreement with engineering design standards. A 2-mm thick mild steel pyramidal hopper, a shredding chamber with 6-mm thick cutting blades on a 30-mm diameter shaft, a structured mild-steel frame and a 6.5-hp gasoline engine were the main components of the manufactured machine. The 24-toothed spur gears were designed to allow for both clockwise and anticlockwise movement, and the shaft was built to endure the greatest shear and bending strains. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, High-density polyethylene (HDPE) products, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes were used to measure the machine's throughput capacity and shredding efficiency. The shredding operation occurred within a 0.017 m³ shredding chamber, after which the shredded materials were discharged through an outlet chute.The shredding efficiencies for PET, HDPE, and PVC were 69.55, 85.67, and 71.85%, respectively, with throughput capacities of 14 kg/h, 17 kg/h, and 15 kg/h. The overall cost of the produced shredding machine was ₦350,000, which is significantly less than the ₦900,000–₦2,500,000 price range of similar-capacity machines that are frequently imported into Nigeria. The use of materials that could be found locally was the main reason for the reported cost savings.