Effective Degradation of Cigarette Butts via Treatment with Old Landfill Leachates

Abstract:

In this paper, results of feasibility study on microplastics (MPs) assessment in leachates from the Latvian solid municipal landfill Getliņi are discussed. The application of leachates for the treatment of cigarette butts (CGB) was evaluated. Methods of fluorescent microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and FTIR-microscopy were used for the identification and characterization of MPs in the leachates and analysis of CGB. Presence of the secondary MPs (e.g., degraded polyolefin mixtures) was determined in the tested landfill leachates, while cellulose acetate (CA) was not determined in these products. The leachates were tested as potential media for the thermophilic (55°C) fermentation of CGB without air supply. Degradation of CGB was determined after one-week fermentation that was confirmed comparing the changes in FTIR spectra of CA prior and after the treatment. This study provoked a path for further experimental studies of controlled degradation of cigarette butts under natural conditions in landfill environments.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 885)
• Pages: 103-108
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.885.103
• Online since: May 2021
• Authors: Andrejs Grīnbergs, Ingars Reinholds*, Vizma Nikolajeva, Mara Grube, Kārlis Švirksts, Baiba Rosicka, Aija Delina, Gunta Kizane, Olga Mutere
• Keywords: Biodegradation, Cellulose Acetate, Cigarette Butts, Fluorescent Microscopy, FTIR Spectroscopy, FTIR-Microscopy, Microplastics, Municipal Waste Landfill Leachate

References

[1] L. Lebreton, A. Andrady, Future scenarios of global plastic waste generation and disposal, Palgrave Commun. 5(1) (2019) 1-11.

DOI: 10.1057/s41599-018-0212-7

[2] J. Zheng, S. Suh, Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics. Nat. Clim. Change, 9(5) (2019) 374-378.

DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0459-z

[3] B. Piribauer, T. Laminger, W. Ipsmiller, D. Koch, A. Bartl, Assessment of microplastics in the environment –fibres: the disregarded twin?, Detritus.2020, 9(1) (2020) 201-(2012).

DOI: 10.31025/2611-4135/2019.13873

[4] European Commission, Commission recommendation of 18 October 2011 on the definition of nanomaterial, Off. J. Eur. Union 275 (2011) 38.

[5] C.E. Enyoh, L. Shafea, A.W. Verla, E.N. Verla, W. Qingyue, et al., Microplastics Exposure Routes and Toxicity Studies to Ecosystems: An Overview, Environ. Health Toxicol. 35(1) (2020) 28-37.

DOI: 10.5620/eaht.e2020004

[6] S.H. Hong, W.J. Shim, L. Hong, L. Methods of analysing chemicals associated with microplastics: a review, Anal. Meth. 9(9) (2017) 1361-1368.

DOI: 10.1039/c6ay02971j

[7] Y. Su, Z. Zhang, D. Wu, L. Zhan, H. Shi, et al., Occurrence of microplastics in landfill systems and their fate with landfill age, Water Res. 164 (2019) 114968.

DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.114968

[8] P. He, L. Chen, L. Shao, H. Zhang, F. Lü, Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill: A source of microplastics?-Evidence of microplastics in landfill leachate, Water Res. 159 (2019) 38-45.

DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.04.060

[9] E. Slaughter, R.M. Gersberg, K. Watanabe, J. Rudolph, C. Stransky, T.E. Novotny, Toxicity of cigarette butts, and their chemical components, to marine and freshwater fish,. Tob. Control 20(Suppl 1) (2011), i25-i29.

DOI: 10.1136/tc.2010.040170

[10] F. Rebischung, L. Chabot, H. Biaudet, P. Pandard, Cigarette butts: a small but hazardous waste, according to European regulation, Waste Manage. 82 (2018) 9-14.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2018.09.038

[11] World Health Organization. (2017). Tobacco and its environmental impact: an overview. World Health Organization.

[12] T. Hibi, L. Zhenjian, H. Hamano, T. Shbata, Biodegradation of cellulose diacetate and cigarete filter, Coresta Congrss, Kyoto (2004), PTPOST 01.

[13] F.X. Joly, M. Coulis, M. Comparison of cellulose vs. plastic cigarette filter decomposition under distinct disposal environments. Waste Manage. 72 (2018) 349-353.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2017.11.023

[14] T. Maes, R. Jessop, N. Wellner, K. Haupt, K., A.G. Mayes, A. G. (2017). A rapid-screening approach to detect and quantify microplastics based on fluorescent tagging with Nile Red. Sci. Rep., 7(1) (2017) 1-10.

DOI: 10.1038/srep44501

[15] M. Grube, K. Shvirksts, C. Krafft, S. Kokorevicha, E. Zandberga, A. Abols, A. Line, U. Kalnenieks, Miniature diamond-anvil cells for FTIR-microspectroscopy of small quantities of biosamples, Analyst 143 (2018) 3595-3599.

DOI: 10.1039/c8an00432c

[16] M.J. Benavente, M.J.A. Caballero, G. Silvero, I. López-Coca, V.G. Escobar, V. G., Cellulose acetate recovery from cigarette butts, Proceedings (MDPI) 20/2 (2019) 1447.

DOI: 10.3390/proceedings2201447

[17] J. Puls, S.A. Wilson, D. Hölter, Degradation of cellulose acetate-based materials: a review, J. Polym. Environ. 19(1) (2011) 152-165.

DOI: 10.1007/s10924-010-0258-0