AppNote 233: Identification of Plastics in Toys

Abstract

App Note 233/2022

Plastics have become a major source of pollution due to their ubiquitous use in a wide array of products. Most plastics are not readily biodegradable and can wind up as litter or are simply disposed of in landfills. It is estimated that only 9% of the plastic in the US is recycled. Plastics discarded into the environment can be ingested by animals, break down into smaller particles which can also be ingested, or leach other compounds into the environment which can potentially cause damage. Leachates can include plasticizers, flame retardants, blowing agents, UV stabilizers, dyes, and a host of other compounds added to the polymers. This work will show the identification of a variety of plastics in toys purchased at a local discount store. The GERSTEL pyrolyzer in combination with gas chromatography mass spectrometry was used for the analysis.