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MSc (Bologna, 1985) and PhD (Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy, 1992) in Chemistry. CNR-Italy and DAAD-Germany research fellow (1986-1987, Regensburg University, Germany), visiting researcher at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (1989) and at the Max Plank Institut für Polymerforschung, Mainz (Germany, 1990). Researcher at Eniricerche S.p.A., Milan, Italy (1990-1995), then Assistant Professor (1995-2007) and Associate Professor (2007-present) in Industrial and Macromolecular Chemistry the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry of the University of Pisa. Author of over 90 scientific papers (h=25), 3 international and 4 Italian patents, and 180 communications at Conferences. Peer reviewer for several International Scientific Journals and Funding Research Agencies. Member of the Asian Polymer Association and of the Italian National Interuniversity Consortium in Science and Technology of Materials (INSTM). Present scientific interests: 1) microplastics in the environment: development of analytical protocols and study of polymer degradation processes; 2) nanostructured and hybrid polymer colloids by heterophase polymerization and sol-gel techniques, for smart microgels and nanocomposite coatings ; 3) designed macromolecular structures by controlled polymerization techniques; 4) polymer and biopolymer functionalization and reactive processing for new materials with improved properties, polymer compatibilization, recyling and upcycling.
Project Goal: Microplastics in the oceanic water column and sediments
Current Stage: ready to start
Project Goal: Synthetic elastomeric nanocomposite adhesive and easily peelable films acting as transparent, total UV filter for hypersensitive skins in rare pathologies
Current Stage: starting
Project Goal: Determination of type and amount of microplastics in beach and submerged sediments, release of toxic leachate and VOCs, and effects on the littoral plant growth.
Current Stage: starting, in collaboration with Parco Naturale San Rossore, Tuscany, Italy
Project Goal: New sustainable nanocomposite materials for sheating electrical and optical cables
Current Stage: advanced (end due september 2020
Most of the analytical studies focused on microplastics (MPs) are based on the detection and identification of the polymers constituting the particles. On the other hand, plastic debris in the environment undergoes chemical and physical degradation processes leading not only to mechanical but also to molecular fragmentation quickly resulting in the formation of leachable, soluble and/or volatile degradation products that are released in the environment. We performed the analysis of reference MPs–polymer micropowders obtained by grinding a set of five polymer types down to final size in the 857–509 μm range, namely high- and low-density polyethylene, polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The reference MPs were artificially aged in a solar-box to investigate their degradation processes by characterizing the aged (photo-oxidized) MPs and their low molecular weight and/or highly oxidized fraction. For this purpose, the artificially aged MPs were subjected to extraction in polar organic solvents, targeting selective recovery of the low molecular weight fractions generated during the artificial aging. Analysis of the extractable fractions and of the residues was carried out by a multi-technique approach combining evolved gas analysis–mass spectrometry (EGA–MS), pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS), and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The results provided information on the degradation products formed during accelerated aging. Up to 18 wt% of extractable, low molecular weight fraction was recovered from the photo-aged MPs, depending on the polymer type. The photo-degradation products of polyolefins (PE and PP) included a wide range of long chain alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and hydroxy acids, as detected in the soluble fractions of aged samples. SEC analyses also showed a marked decrease in the average molecular weight of PP polymer chains, whereas cross-linking was observed in the case of PS. The most abundant low molecular weight photo-degradation products of PS were benzoic acid and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, while PET had the highest stability towards aging, as indicated by the modest generation of low molecular weight species.
Greta Biale; Jacopo La Nasa; Marco Mattonai; Andrea Corti; Virginia Vinciguerra; Valter Castelvetro; Francesca Modugno. A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics. Polymers 2021, 13, 1997 .
AMA StyleGreta Biale, Jacopo La Nasa, Marco Mattonai, Andrea Corti, Virginia Vinciguerra, Valter Castelvetro, Francesca Modugno. A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics. Polymers. 2021; 13 (12):1997.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGreta Biale; Jacopo La Nasa; Marco Mattonai; Andrea Corti; Virginia Vinciguerra; Valter Castelvetro; Francesca Modugno. 2021. "A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics." Polymers 13, no. 12: 1997.
Up to 13 million tons of plastic waste are estimated to enter the oceans every year. A generally accepted picture based on an increasing number of environmental studies suggests that the largest fraction of it consists or is rapidly degraded into microplastics (MPs). Most of the analytical studies focused on MPs are based on the detection and identification of the polymers. On the other hand, plastic debris in the environment undergo chemical (mainly photoxidative) and physical degradation processes leading not only to fragmentation but also to the formation of leachable, soluble and/or volatile degradation products that are released in the environment. The formation of such low molecular weight species is generally neglected in the studies on MPs even if these compounds, released in the environment from the plastics debris, may pose even higher risks for the environment and for the biota than the MPs particles themselves, risks that are far from being understood and assessed. In this study we performed the analysis of reference MPs - polymer micropowders obtained by grinding a set of five polymer types down to final size in the 857-509 μm range, namely high- and low-density polyethylene (HDPE and LDPE, respectively), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The reference MPs were artificially aged in a Solar-Box and their degradation products were analyzed to investigate their degradation processes. In particular, a systematic and thorough characterization of the aged (photo-oxidized) MPs and of their low molecular weight and/or highly oxidized fraction extractable in polar organic solvents was performed. For this purpose, the artificially aged MPs were subjected to selective extraction with organic solvent that are non-solvents for the virgin polymers, targeting selective recovery of the low molecular weight fractions generated during the artificial aging. Analysis of both the extractable fractions and the residues was carried out by a multi-technique approach combining evolved gas analysis-mass spectrometry (EGA-MS) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). Up to 18 wt% of newly extractable, low molecular weight fraction was recovered from the photo-aged MPs, depending on the polymer type. The results highlight the need for more extensive studies about the potential harmfulness of the oxidation products (molecular and oxidized oligomeric species) that may leach out from plastic debris during their permanence in the environment.
Greta Biale; Jacopo La Nasa; Marco Mattonai; Andrea Corti; Virginia Vinciguerra; Valter Castelvetro; Francesca Modugno. A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleGreta Biale, Jacopo La Nasa, Marco Mattonai, Andrea Corti, Virginia Vinciguerra, Valter Castelvetro, Francesca Modugno. A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGreta Biale; Jacopo La Nasa; Marco Mattonai; Andrea Corti; Virginia Vinciguerra; Valter Castelvetro; Francesca Modugno. 2021. "A Systematic Study on the Degradation Products Generated from Artificially Aged Microplastics." , no. : 1.
Sampling, separation, detection, and characterization of micro- and nanoplastics dispersed in natural water bodies and other ecosystems is a challenging and critical issue for a better understanding of the hazards for the environment posed by such ubiquitous and still poorly known form of pollution. There is still the need for cost-efficient, exhaustive, reliable and accurate analytical protocols allowing the quantification of these pollutants and of the toxic pollutants that they are known to act as concentrators for. The first results of broader research aiming at setting up new and effective methodologies and analytical protocols for the accurate determination of different polymeric pollutants in marine and freshwater sediments will be presented. Among them, preliminary results of a follow-up investigation on the low molecular weight volatile organic compounds released upon photo-oxidative degradation of microplastics will also be presented. Their significance for a better understanding of the fate of floating or stranded plastic debris will be discussed.
Valter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Alessio Ceccarini; Jacopo La Nasa; Tommaso Lomonaco; Antonella Manariti; Enrico Manco; Francesca Modugno; Virginia Vinciguerra. Understanding the Source, Distribution, and Fate of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Natural Water Bodies. Soil and Recycling Management in the Anthropocene Era 2021, 2167 -2171.
AMA StyleValter Castelvetro, Andrea Corti, Alessio Ceccarini, Jacopo La Nasa, Tommaso Lomonaco, Antonella Manariti, Enrico Manco, Francesca Modugno, Virginia Vinciguerra. Understanding the Source, Distribution, and Fate of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Natural Water Bodies. Soil and Recycling Management in the Anthropocene Era. 2021; ():2167-2171.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Alessio Ceccarini; Jacopo La Nasa; Tommaso Lomonaco; Antonella Manariti; Enrico Manco; Francesca Modugno; Virginia Vinciguerra. 2021. "Understanding the Source, Distribution, and Fate of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Natural Water Bodies." Soil and Recycling Management in the Anthropocene Era , no. : 2167-2171.
Microplastics (MPs) quantification in benthic marine sediments is typically performed by time-consuming and moderately accurate mechanical separation and microscopy detection. In this paper, we describe the results of our innovative Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of microplastic total mass, previously tested on either less complex sandy beach sediment or less demanding (because of the high MPs content) wastewater treatment plant sludges, applied to the analysis of benthic sediments from a sublittoral area north-west of Leghorn (Tuscany, Italy). Samples were collected from two shallow sites characterized by coarse debris in a mixed seabed of Posidonia oceanica, and by a very fine silty-organogenic sediment, respectively. After sieving at <2 mm the sediment was sequentially extracted with selective organic solvents and the two polymer classes polystyrene (PS) and polyolefins (PE and PP) were quantified by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS). A contamination in the 8–65 ppm range by PS could be accurately detected. Acid hydrolysis on the extracted residue to achieve total depolymerization of all natural and synthetic polyamides, tagging of all aminated species in the hydrolysate with a fluorophore, and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (RP-HPLC) analysis, allowed the quantification within the 137–1523 ppm range of the individual mass of contaminating nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, based on the detected amounts of the respective monomeric amines 6-aminohexanoic acid (AHA) and hexamethylenediamine (HMDA). Finally, alkaline hydrolysis of the residue from acid hydrolysis followed by RP-HPLC analysis of the purified hydrolysate showed contamination by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the 12.1–2.7 ppm range, based on the content of its comonomer, terephthalic acid.
Valter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Jacopo La Nasa; Francesca Modugno; Alessio Ceccarini; Stefania Giannarelli; Virginia Vinciguerra; Monica Bertoldo. Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of Microplastic Total Mass in Sediments of the Protected Marine Area of the Meloria Shoals. Polymers 2021, 13, 796 .
AMA StyleValter Castelvetro, Andrea Corti, Jacopo La Nasa, Francesca Modugno, Alessio Ceccarini, Stefania Giannarelli, Virginia Vinciguerra, Monica Bertoldo. Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of Microplastic Total Mass in Sediments of the Protected Marine Area of the Meloria Shoals. Polymers. 2021; 13 (5):796.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Jacopo La Nasa; Francesca Modugno; Alessio Ceccarini; Stefania Giannarelli; Virginia Vinciguerra; Monica Bertoldo. 2021. "Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of Microplastic Total Mass in Sediments of the Protected Marine Area of the Meloria Shoals." Polymers 13, no. 5: 796.
Microplastics (MPs) quantification in benthic marine sediments is typically performed by time-consuming and moderately accurate mechanical separation and microscopy detection. In this paper we describe the results of our innovative Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of microplastic total mass, previously tested on either less complex sandy beach sediment or less demanding (because of the high MPs content) wastewater treatment plant sludges, applied to the analysis of benthic sediments from a sublittoral area north-west of Leghorn (Tuscany, Italy). Samples were collected from two shallow sites characterized by coarse debris in a mixed seabed of Posidonia oceanica, and by a very fine silty-organogenic sediment, respectively. After sieving at <2 mm the sediment was sequentially extracted with selective organic solvents and the two polymer classes polystyrene (PS) and polyolefins (PE and PP) were quantified by pyrolysis-GC/MS. A contamination in the 8-65 ppm range by PS could be accurately detected. Acid hydrolysis on the extracted residue to achieve total depolymerization of all natural and synthetic polyamides, tagging of all aminated species in the hydrolyzate with a fluorophore, and reversed-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) analysis, allowed to quantify within the 137-1523 ppm range the individual mass of contaminating Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6, based on the detected amounts of the respective monomeric amines 6-aminohexanoic acid (AHA) and hexanediamine (HMDA). Finally, alkaline hydrolysis of the residue from acid hydrolysis followed by RP-HPLC analysis of the purified hydrolysate showed contamination by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the 12.1-2.7 ppm range, based on the content of its comonomer, terephthalic acid.
Valter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Jacopo La Nasa; Francesca Modugno; Alessio Ceccarini; Stefania Giannarelli; Virginia Vinciguerra. Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of Microplastic Total Mass in Sediments of the Protected Marine Area of the Meloria Shoals. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleValter Castelvetro, Andrea Corti, Jacopo La Nasa, Francesca Modugno, Alessio Ceccarini, Stefania Giannarelli, Virginia Vinciguerra. Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of Microplastic Total Mass in Sediments of the Protected Marine Area of the Meloria Shoals. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Jacopo La Nasa; Francesca Modugno; Alessio Ceccarini; Stefania Giannarelli; Virginia Vinciguerra. 2021. "Polymer Identification and Specific Analysis (PISA) of Microplastic Total Mass in Sediments of the Protected Marine Area of the Meloria Shoals." , no. : 1.
Sampling, separation, detection, and characterization of microplastics (MPs) dispersed in natural water bodies and ecosystems is a challenging and critical issue for a better understanding of the hazards for the environment posed by such nearly ubiquitous and still largely unknown form of pollution. There is still the need for exhaustive, reliable, accurate, reasonably fast, and cost-efficient analytical protocols allowing the quantification not only of MPs but also of nanoplastics (NPs) and of the harmful molecular pollutants that may result from degrading plastics. Here a set of newly developed analytical protocols, integrated with specialized techniques such as pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), for the accurate and selective determination of the polymers most commonly found as MPs polluting marine and freshwater sediments are presented. In addition, the results of an investigation on the low molecular weight volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released upon photo-oxidative degradation of microplastics highlight the important role of photoinduced fragmentation at a molecular level both as a potential source of hazardous chemicals and as accelerators of the overall degradation of floating or stranded plastic debris.
Valter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Greta Biale; Alessio Ceccarini; Ilaria Degano; Jacopo La Nasa; Tommaso Lomonaco; Antonella Manariti; Enrico Manco; Francesca Modugno; Virginia Vinciguerra. New methodologies for the detection, identification, and quantification of microplastics and their environmental degradation by-products. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2021, 1 -17.
AMA StyleValter Castelvetro, Andrea Corti, Greta Biale, Alessio Ceccarini, Ilaria Degano, Jacopo La Nasa, Tommaso Lomonaco, Antonella Manariti, Enrico Manco, Francesca Modugno, Virginia Vinciguerra. New methodologies for the detection, identification, and quantification of microplastics and their environmental degradation by-products. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2021; ():1-17.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Greta Biale; Alessio Ceccarini; Ilaria Degano; Jacopo La Nasa; Tommaso Lomonaco; Antonella Manariti; Enrico Manco; Francesca Modugno; Virginia Vinciguerra. 2021. "New methodologies for the detection, identification, and quantification of microplastics and their environmental degradation by-products." Environmental Science and Pollution Research , no. : 1-17.
A novel procedure for nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 polyamide (PAs) microplastics (MPs) quantification is described for the first time. The overall procedure, including quantification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), was tested on wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludges. The three polymers account for the largest global share of synthetic textile microfibers, being possibly the most common MPs released upon laundering in urban wastewaters. Therefore, measuring their content in WWTP sludges may provide an accurate picture of the potential risks associated with both the inflow of these MPs in natural water bodies and the practice of using WWTP sludges as agricultural soil amendment. The novel procedure involves PAs depolymerization by acid hydrolysis followed by derivatization of the monomers 6-aminohexanoic acid (AHA) and hexamethylene diamine (HMDA) with a fluorophore. Reversed-phase HPLC analysis with fluorescence detection results in high sensitivities for both AHA (LOD = 8.85·10–4 mg/L, LOQ = 3.73·10–3 mg/L) and HMDA (LOD = 2.12·10–4, LOQ = 7.04·10–4 mg/L). PET quantification involves depolymerization, in this case by alkaline hydrolysis, followed by HPLC analysis of its comonomer terephthalic acid. Eight sludge samples from four WWTPs in Italy showed contamination in the 29.3–215.3 ppm and 10.6–134.6 ppm range for nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, respectively, and in the 520–1470 ppm range for PET.
Valter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Alessio Ceccarini; Antonella Petri; Virginia Vinciguerra. Nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 micro- and nanoplastics: A first example of their accurate quantification, along with polyester (PET), in wastewater treatment plant sludges. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2020, 407, 124364 .
AMA StyleValter Castelvetro, Andrea Corti, Alessio Ceccarini, Antonella Petri, Virginia Vinciguerra. Nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 micro- and nanoplastics: A first example of their accurate quantification, along with polyester (PET), in wastewater treatment plant sludges. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2020; 407 ():124364.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Alessio Ceccarini; Antonella Petri; Virginia Vinciguerra. 2020. "Nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 micro- and nanoplastics: A first example of their accurate quantification, along with polyester (PET), in wastewater treatment plant sludges." Journal of Hazardous Materials 407, no. : 124364.
Pollution from microplastics (MPs) has become one of the most relevant topics in environmental chemistry. The risks related to MPs include their capability to adsorb toxic and harmful molecular species, and to release additives and degradation products into ecosystems. Their role as a primary source of a broad range of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has also been recently reported. In this work, we applied a non-destructive approach based on selected-ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) for the characterization of VOCs released from a set of plastic debris collected from a sandy beach in northern Tuscany. The interpretation of the individual SIFT-MS spectra, aided by principal component data analysis, allowed us to relate the aged polymeric materials that make up the plastic debris (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate) to their VOC emission profile, degradation level, and sampling site. The study proves the potential of SIFT-MS application in the field, as a major advance to obtain fast and reliable information on the VOCs emitted from microplastics. The possibility to obtain qualitative and quantitative data on plastic debris in less than 2 min also makes SIFT-MS a useful and innovative tool for future monitoring campaigns involving statistically significant sets of environmental samples.
Jacopo La Nasa; Tommaso Lomonaco; Enrico Manco; Alessio Ceccarini; Roger Fuoco; Andrea Corti; Francesca Modugno; Valter Castelvetro; Ilaria Degano. Plastic breeze: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by degrading macro- and microplastics analyzed by selected ion flow-tube mass spectrometry. Chemosphere 2020, 270, 128612 .
AMA StyleJacopo La Nasa, Tommaso Lomonaco, Enrico Manco, Alessio Ceccarini, Roger Fuoco, Andrea Corti, Francesca Modugno, Valter Castelvetro, Ilaria Degano. Plastic breeze: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by degrading macro- and microplastics analyzed by selected ion flow-tube mass spectrometry. Chemosphere. 2020; 270 ():128612.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJacopo La Nasa; Tommaso Lomonaco; Enrico Manco; Alessio Ceccarini; Roger Fuoco; Andrea Corti; Francesca Modugno; Valter Castelvetro; Ilaria Degano. 2020. "Plastic breeze: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by degrading macro- and microplastics analyzed by selected ion flow-tube mass spectrometry." Chemosphere 270, no. : 128612.
Fish meal (FM) is an industrial product, mainly obtained from whole wild-caught fish, that is used as a high protein feedstuff component in aquaculture and intensive animal farming. Contamination of FM by microplastics (MPs), the synthetic polymer particles known to be nearly ubiquitous in the marine environment, is a likely consequence of their ingestion by zooplankton and other small marine animals that through the food chain end up in the fish commercialized not only for direct human consumption but also for the industrial production of FM. Unfortunately, analytical tools for quantifying contamination of FM by synthetic polymers are not available. A newly developed procedure described here allows quantification of the total amounts of polyolefins (including ethene and propene homo- and copolymers), polystyrene (PS), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), respectively, in FM. The multi-step procedure involves a sequence of solvent extractions, hydrolytic treatments to remove the biogenic matrix mainly consisting of proteins and some lipids, and selective depolymerization for PET. The gravimetric and SEC-UV techniques employed for the quantification of polyolefins and PS, respectively, only allowed to estimate their concentration in FM at around or below 100 mg/kg each, a more accurate quantification being prevented by the interference from the organic matrix and, in the case of polyolefins, by the limited sensitivity of the quantification by gravimetry. On the other hand, the contamination by PET MPs could accurately be quantified at 12.9 mg/kg based on the dry FM mass. Ways to overcome the sensitivity limitations for PS and polyolefins by using e.g. pyrolysis-GC/MS are highlighted.
Valter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Sabrina Bianchi; Giacomo Giacomelli; Antonella Manariti; Virginia Vinciguerra. Microplastics in fish meal: Contamination level analyzed by polymer type, including polyester (PET), polyolefins, and polystyrene. Environmental Pollution 2020, 273, 115792 .
AMA StyleValter Castelvetro, Andrea Corti, Sabrina Bianchi, Giacomo Giacomelli, Antonella Manariti, Virginia Vinciguerra. Microplastics in fish meal: Contamination level analyzed by polymer type, including polyester (PET), polyolefins, and polystyrene. Environmental Pollution. 2020; 273 ():115792.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Sabrina Bianchi; Giacomo Giacomelli; Antonella Manariti; Virginia Vinciguerra. 2020. "Microplastics in fish meal: Contamination level analyzed by polymer type, including polyester (PET), polyolefins, and polystyrene." Environmental Pollution 273, no. : 115792.
Lake basins can behave as accumulators of microplastics released in wastewaters as such or resulting from degradation of larger items before and/or during their journey toward the marine environment as a final sink. A novel multianalytical approach was adopted for the detection and quantification of microplastics with size < 2 mm in the sediments of the volcanic lake of Bracciano, Italy. Simple analytical techniques such as solvent extraction/fractionation (for polyolefins and polystyrene) or depolymerization (for polyethylene terephthalate, PET), along with chromatographic detection (SEC and HPLC), allowed quantitative and qualitative determination of the main synthetic polymer contaminants. In particular, PET microplastic concentrations of 0.8–36 ppm were found, with variability related to the sampling site (exposure to incoming winds and wave action). Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transformed InfraRed (ATR-FTIR spectroscopic investigations supported the identification and chemical characterization of plastic fragments and polymer extracts. The average molecular weight of solvent extractable polymers was evaluated from 2D 1H-NMR diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments. The proposed, easily accessible multianalytical approach can be considered as a useful tool for improving our knowledge on the nature and the concentration of microplastics in sediments, giving insights on the impact of human activities on the health status of aquatic ecosystems.
Andrea Corti; Virginia Vinciguerra; Valentina Iannilli; Loris Pietrelli; Antonella Manariti; Sabrina Bianchi; Antonella Petri; Mario Cifelli; Valentina Domenici; Valter Castelvetro. Thorough Multianalytical Characterization and Quantification of Micro- and Nanoplastics from Bracciano Lake’s Sediments. Sustainability 2020, 12, 878 .
AMA StyleAndrea Corti, Virginia Vinciguerra, Valentina Iannilli, Loris Pietrelli, Antonella Manariti, Sabrina Bianchi, Antonella Petri, Mario Cifelli, Valentina Domenici, Valter Castelvetro. Thorough Multianalytical Characterization and Quantification of Micro- and Nanoplastics from Bracciano Lake’s Sediments. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (3):878.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrea Corti; Virginia Vinciguerra; Valentina Iannilli; Loris Pietrelli; Antonella Manariti; Sabrina Bianchi; Antonella Petri; Mario Cifelli; Valentina Domenici; Valter Castelvetro. 2020. "Thorough Multianalytical Characterization and Quantification of Micro- and Nanoplastics from Bracciano Lake’s Sediments." Sustainability 12, no. 3: 878.
Microplastics are ubiquitous pollutants in marine and freshwater bodies. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) microfibers (PMFs) are among the main primary microplastics (as-produced polymer microparticles). Released in large amounts in laundry wastewaters, PMFs end up in freshwater and marine sediments due to their high density. PMFs are potentially hazardous pollutants for ecosystems and human health, being a deceiving food source for animal organisms at the base of the food chain (e.g. sediment and water filtrators, including edible shellfish and small crustaceans). This study describes a simple, sensitive and versatile procedure for quantifying the total mass of PET micro- and nano-particles in sediments. The procedure involves aqueous alkaline PET depolymerization with phase transfer catalysis, oxidation and fractionations to remove interfering species and pre-concentrate the terephthalic acid (TPA) monomer, and TPA quantification by reversed-phase HPLC. Recovery of TPA from a model sediment spiked with 800 ppm PET micropowder was 98.2 %, with limits of detection/quantification LOD = 17.2 μg/kg and LOQ = 57.0 μg/kg. Analyses of sandy sediments from a marine beach in Tuscany, Italy, showed contamination in the 370–460 μg/kg range, suggesting that a not negligible fraction of PET microfibers released in surface waters ends up in shore sediments.
Valter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Sabrina Bianchi; Alessio Ceccarini; Antonella Manariti; Virginia Vinciguerra. Quantification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) micro- and nanoparticle contaminants in marine sediments and other environmental matrices. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2019, 385, 121517 .
AMA StyleValter Castelvetro, Andrea Corti, Sabrina Bianchi, Alessio Ceccarini, Antonella Manariti, Virginia Vinciguerra. Quantification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) micro- and nanoparticle contaminants in marine sediments and other environmental matrices. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2019; 385 ():121517.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValter Castelvetro; Andrea Corti; Sabrina Bianchi; Alessio Ceccarini; Antonella Manariti; Virginia Vinciguerra. 2019. "Quantification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) micro- and nanoparticle contaminants in marine sediments and other environmental matrices." Journal of Hazardous Materials 385, no. : 121517.
Microplastics generated by plastics waste degradation are ubiquitous in marine and freshwater basins, posing serious environmental concerns. Raman and FTIR spectroscopies, along with techniques such as pyrolysis-GC/MS, are typically used for their identification. We present a procedure based on gel permeation chromatography (GPC) coupled with fluorescence detection for semi-quantitative selective determination of the most common microplastics found in marine shoreline sediments: poly(styrene) (PS) and partially degraded polyolefins (LDPEox). By operating the detector at either 260/280 or 370/420 nm excitation/emission wavelengths PS can be distinguished from LDPEox upon GPC separation. Semi-quantitative determination of microplastics contents is also possible: dichloromethane extracts of PS and LDPEox yield linear plots of fluorescence peak area vs concentration (0–5.0 mg/mL range) and were used as reference materials for quantification of the microplastics content in sand samples collected in the winter berm and dune sectors of a Tuscany beach in Italy.
Tarita Biver; Sabrina Bianchi; Maria Rita Carosi; Alessio Ceccarini; Andrea Corti; Enrico Manco; Valter Castelvetro. Selective determination of poly(styrene) and polyolefin microplastics in sandy beach sediments by gel permeation chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection. Marine Pollution Bulletin 2018, 136, 269 -275.
AMA StyleTarita Biver, Sabrina Bianchi, Maria Rita Carosi, Alessio Ceccarini, Andrea Corti, Enrico Manco, Valter Castelvetro. Selective determination of poly(styrene) and polyolefin microplastics in sandy beach sediments by gel permeation chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 2018; 136 ():269-275.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTarita Biver; Sabrina Bianchi; Maria Rita Carosi; Alessio Ceccarini; Andrea Corti; Enrico Manco; Valter Castelvetro. 2018. "Selective determination of poly(styrene) and polyolefin microplastics in sandy beach sediments by gel permeation chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection." Marine Pollution Bulletin 136, no. : 269-275.
Protective coatings, in recent years also from nanocomposite formulations, are commonly applied onto architectural stone and stone artefacts, mainly to prevent absorption of condensed water and dissolved atmospheric pollutants into the porous stone structure. While standard protocols to assess a coating’s performance are available, understanding the response of the coating-stone system is a complex task, due to the interplay of various factors determining the overall behaviour. Characterization techniques allowing one to correlate the extent and nature of surface modification upon treatment with the most relevant physical properties (i.e., water absorption and surface wettability) are thus of great interest. Electrokinetic analysis based on streaming current measurements, thanks to its sensitivity towards even minor changes in the surface chemical composition, may fulfil such requirement. Indeed, by involving the interaction with a testing aqueous electrolyte solution, this technique allows one to probe not only the outer surface, but also the outermost layer of the pore network, which plays a crucial role in the interaction of the stone with condensed atmospheric water. In this work, a correlation was found between the extent of surface modification, as determined by streaming current measurements, surface wettability and capillary water absorption, for three lithotypes with different mineralogical and microstructural properties treated with two nanocomposite formulations (one water based and one in alcoholic solvent) containing organosilica precursors and titania nanoparticles.
Marco Roveri; Simona Raneri; Sabrina Bianchi; Francesca Gherardi; Valter Castelvetro; Lucia Toniolo. Electrokinetic Characterization of Natural Stones Coated with Nanocomposites for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. Applied Sciences 2018, 8, 1694 .
AMA StyleMarco Roveri, Simona Raneri, Sabrina Bianchi, Francesca Gherardi, Valter Castelvetro, Lucia Toniolo. Electrokinetic Characterization of Natural Stones Coated with Nanocomposites for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. Applied Sciences. 2018; 8 (9):1694.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarco Roveri; Simona Raneri; Sabrina Bianchi; Francesca Gherardi; Valter Castelvetro; Lucia Toniolo. 2018. "Electrokinetic Characterization of Natural Stones Coated with Nanocomposites for the Protection of Cultural Heritage." Applied Sciences 8, no. 9: 1694.
Protective coatings, in recent years also from nanocomposite formulations, are commonly applied onto architectural stone and stone artefacts, mainly to prevent absorption into the porous stone structure of condensed water and dissolved atmospheric pollutants. While standard protocols are available to assess a coating’s performance, understanding the response of the coating-stone system is a complex task, due to the interplay of various factors determining the overall behaviour. Characterization techniques allowing to correlate the extent and nature of surface modification upon treatment with the most relevant physical properties (i.e water absorption and surface wettability) are thus of great interest. Electrokinetic analysis based on streaming current measurements, thanks to its sensitivity towards even minor changes in the surface chemical composition, may fulfil such requirement. Indeed, by involving the interaction with a testing aqueous electrolyte solution, this technique allows to probe not only the outer surface but also the outermost layer of the pore network, which plays a crucial role in the interaction of the stone with condensed atmospheric water. In this work a correlation was found between the extent of surface modification, as determined by streaming current measurements, surface wettability and capillary water absorption of 6 coating-lithotype combinations (3 lithotypes and 2 nanocomposites).
Marco Roveri; Simona Raneri; Sabrina Bianchi; Francesca Gherardi; Valter Castelvetro; Lucia Toniolo. Electrokinetic Characterization of Natural Stones Coated with Nanocomposites for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleMarco Roveri, Simona Raneri, Sabrina Bianchi, Francesca Gherardi, Valter Castelvetro, Lucia Toniolo. Electrokinetic Characterization of Natural Stones Coated with Nanocomposites for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. . 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarco Roveri; Simona Raneri; Sabrina Bianchi; Francesca Gherardi; Valter Castelvetro; Lucia Toniolo. 2018. "Electrokinetic Characterization of Natural Stones Coated with Nanocomposites for the Protection of Cultural Heritage." , no. : 1.
The characterization of protective coatings applied on natural stones is often a complex task due to the difficulty of identifying and quantifying the various factors contributing to the overall behaviour of the coating-stone system. In particular, linking information about the coating-stone interaction to macroscopic effects in terms of physical behaviour of treated stones can be especially arduous owing to the inherent structural complexity of stone substrates. Electrokinetic analysis based on streaming current measurements, having already proved the ability to sense even minor changes in the chemical composition of different materials surfaces upon treatment, may provide useful insights in view of better understanding the extent of stone surface modification. In particular, involving the interaction of stones with a water-based solution, the streaming current technique could extend the characterization of stone surface to the outermost part of the pore network, which is part of every treatment-induced modification of surface properties. In this work, the effectiveness of streaming current measurements as analytical tool for the characterization of coatings applied on natural stones is assessed by considering different lithotypes and coatings and trying to correlate the results of electrokinetic analysis with the physical behaviour of treated stones, with specific regard to wettability and capillary water absorption.
Marco Roveri; Simona Raneri; Sabrina Bianchi; Francesca Gherardi; Valter Castelvetro; Lucia Toniolo. Electrokinetic Characterization of Nanocomposites Applied on Natural Stones by Streaming Current Measurements. 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleMarco Roveri, Simona Raneri, Sabrina Bianchi, Francesca Gherardi, Valter Castelvetro, Lucia Toniolo. Electrokinetic Characterization of Nanocomposites Applied on Natural Stones by Streaming Current Measurements. . 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarco Roveri; Simona Raneri; Sabrina Bianchi; Francesca Gherardi; Valter Castelvetro; Lucia Toniolo. 2018. "Electrokinetic Characterization of Nanocomposites Applied on Natural Stones by Streaming Current Measurements." , no. : 1.
The environmental pollution by plastic debris directly dispersed in or eventually reaching marine habitats is raising increasing concern not only for the vulnerability of marine species to ingestion and entanglement by macroscopic debris, but also for the potential hazards from smaller fragments down to a few micrometer size, often referred to as “microplastics”. A novel procedure for the selective quantitative and qualitative determination of organic solvent soluble microplastics and microplastics degradation products (<2mm) in shoreline sediments was adopted to evaluate their concentration and distribution over the different sectors of a Tuscany (Italy) beach. Solvent extraction followed by gravimetric determination and chemical characterization by FT-IR, Pyrolysis-GC-MS, GPC and 1H-NMR analyses showed the presence of up to 30 mg microplastics in 1 kg sand, a figure corresponding to about 5.5 g of generally undetected and largely underestimated microplastics in the upper 10 cm layer of a square meter of sandy beach ! The extracted microplastic material was essentially polystyrene and polyolefin by-products from oxidative degradation and erosion of larger fragments, with accumulation mainly above the storm berm. Chain scission and oxidation processes cause significant variations in the physical and chemical features of microplastics, promoting their adsorption onto sand particles and thus their persistence in the sediments.
Alessio Ceccarini; Andrea Corti; Francesca Erba; Francesca Modugno; Jacopo La Nasa; Sabrina Bianchi; Valter Castelvetro. The Hidden Microplastics: New Insights and Figures from the Thorough Separation and Characterization of Microplastics and of Their Degradation Byproducts in Coastal Sediments. Environmental Science & Technology 2018, 52, 5634 -5643.
AMA StyleAlessio Ceccarini, Andrea Corti, Francesca Erba, Francesca Modugno, Jacopo La Nasa, Sabrina Bianchi, Valter Castelvetro. The Hidden Microplastics: New Insights and Figures from the Thorough Separation and Characterization of Microplastics and of Their Degradation Byproducts in Coastal Sediments. Environmental Science & Technology. 2018; 52 (10):5634-5643.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlessio Ceccarini; Andrea Corti; Francesca Erba; Francesca Modugno; Jacopo La Nasa; Sabrina Bianchi; Valter Castelvetro. 2018. "The Hidden Microplastics: New Insights and Figures from the Thorough Separation and Characterization of Microplastics and of Their Degradation Byproducts in Coastal Sediments." Environmental Science & Technology 52, no. 10: 5634-5643.