environments, and some of them disturb the endocrine system in even minute
concentration (Hermabessiere et al. 2017).
Nonylphenols
Nonylphenols are a class of alkylphenols. These are liberated as the degradation
intermediates of some surfactants and antioxidants named as nonylphenol
ethoxylates. Both nonylphenol ethoxylates and nonylphenols are mainly used in
paints, detergents, pesticides, and toiletries. In the production of plastic, they can
also be used as plasticizers and antioxidants. Leaching of nonylphenols from many
plastic bottles into the water system may be contributed mainly by the effluents from
the wastewater treatment plants. Nonylphenols can seriously disturb the endocrine
system, and due to the harmful impacts on the ecosystem and human health, the
utilization is banned in the European Union (Hermabessiere et al. 2017).
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are employed as additives in various artificial polymers such as
polyolefin (polyethylene and propylene) which may constitute 60% of the total
requirement of the antioxidant worldwide. These are meant to increase the shelflife of plastics and to prevent oxidation. However, these also leach out like other
additives of plastic packaging, thus causing various environmental threats and safety
concerns (Hermabessiere et al. 2017).
Table 2.2 shows the common additives (brominated flame retardants, phthalates,
bisphenol A, nonylphenols, and various antioxidants), their functions, and impacts
on health.
Table 2.3 shows the use of additives in general types of plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and many other resins that
cause pollution, and also impart toxic effects from the untreated from industrial
Table 2.2 Most common polymers with their plasticadditives (Hermabessiere et al. 2017)
Polymers name
Additive
types
Polymer amount (%
w/w)
Hazardous chemicals
Polypropylene
Antioxidant 0.05–3
Bisphenol A, Octylphenol,
Nonylphenol
High-density
polyethylene
Antioxidant 0.05–3
Brominated flame retardant;
Boric acid
Low-density
polyethylene
Antioxidant 0.05–3
Nonylphenol
Polyvinylchloride
Plasticizer
10–17
Phthalate
Polyurethane
Flame
retardant
12–18
Brominated flame retardant;
Boric acid
2 Identification and Remediation of Plastics as Water Contaminant
57
concentration (Hermabessiere et al. 2017).
Nonylphenols
Nonylphenols are a class of alkylphenols. These are liberated as the degradation
intermediates of some surfactants and antioxidants named as nonylphenol
ethoxylates. Both nonylphenol ethoxylates and nonylphenols are mainly used in
paints, detergents, pesticides, and toiletries. In the production of plastic, they can
also be used as plasticizers and antioxidants. Leaching of nonylphenols from many
plastic bottles into the water system may be contributed mainly by the effluents from
the wastewater treatment plants. Nonylphenols can seriously disturb the endocrine
system, and due to the harmful impacts on the ecosystem and human health, the
utilization is banned in the European Union (Hermabessiere et al. 2017).
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are employed as additives in various artificial polymers such as
polyolefin (polyethylene and propylene) which may constitute 60% of the total
requirement of the antioxidant worldwide. These are meant to increase the shelflife of plastics and to prevent oxidation. However, these also leach out like other
additives of plastic packaging, thus causing various environmental threats and safety
concerns (Hermabessiere et al. 2017).
Table 2.2 shows the common additives (brominated flame retardants, phthalates,
bisphenol A, nonylphenols, and various antioxidants), their functions, and impacts
on health.
Table 2.3 shows the use of additives in general types of plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and many other resins that
cause pollution, and also impart toxic effects from the untreated from industrial
Table 2.2 Most common polymers with their plasticadditives (Hermabessiere et al. 2017)
Polymers name
Additive
types
Polymer amount (%
w/w)
Hazardous chemicals
Polypropylene
Antioxidant 0.05–3
Bisphenol A, Octylphenol,
Nonylphenol
High-density
polyethylene
Antioxidant 0.05–3
Brominated flame retardant;
Boric acid
Low-density
polyethylene
Antioxidant 0.05–3
Nonylphenol
Polyvinylchloride
Plasticizer
10–17
Phthalate
Polyurethane
Flame
retardant
12–18
Brominated flame retardant;
Boric acid
2 Identification and Remediation of Plastics as Water Contaminant
57