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The timeline of plastic

The history of plastic production usually starts with the discovery of parkesine by Alexander Parkes in Birmingham. It was made from cellulose nitrate and camphor. A variation of this material, known as celluloid, was initially intended as a substitute for ivory. However, the true origin of the plastics industry began with the production of entirely synthetic polymers, the first of which was the thermoset bakelite, a phenol formaldehyde resin. Synthetic polymers can be classified into plastics and rubbers. Among plastics, there is a difference between thermosets and thermoplastics. Thermoplastics can melt, while thermosets consist of polymeric chains linked together by crosslinking, similar to vulcanized rubbers.

1907
Bakelite

Leo Bakeland created the first synthetic polymer, a phenolic resin

1930
Polystyrene

BASF chemists produced the first thermoplastic polymer to replace cast zinc objects

1932
PVC

Known since the XIXth century, two patents issued in 1933 allowed the commercial production of PVC as water resistant coating for fabrics

1933
Polyethylene

Synthesized at ICI it was used for the isolation of electrical wires and kept in secrecy due to the IIWW

1938
Nylon

After a decade of researh Du Pont got a bit market success with this polyamide

1941
Polyester

First discovered by W.H. Carothers, chemists from ICI marketed the polyester fibre Terylene

A new anthropogenic pollutant

Since the onset of industrial plastic production, especially after its massive commercialization in the 1960s, approximately ten billion tons of plastic have been produced. The presence of plastic in wildlife and various natural environments was discovered early on. However, scientists' warnings began with the repeated discovery of very small fragments known as microplastics (an acronym for microscopic plastics). These were first found in the oceans and later in the most diverse environments. The term "microplastic" currently refers to plastic particles whose largest dimension is between one-thousandth of a millimeter and five millimeters. Even smaller plastics are referred to as nanoplastics.

Plastic in the environment

About EnviroPlaNet

EnviroPlaNet started activities in 2020 as a Thematic Research Network specialized in plastic pollution, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain. Since then, the network has grown to bring together more research groups from diverse disciplines, as well as associations and NGOs working on different aspects related to pollution by plastic materials. The objective of the network is to improve coordination between groups and to offer opportunities for cooperation in aspects like the exchange of experiences, access to research resources, or participation in dissemination activities.

Groups

Our areas of interest

Marine litter
Marine litter is a global concern, affecting all the world's oceans. Every year, millions of tonnes of litter end up in the ocean, posing environmental, economic, health, and aesthetic problems
Microplastics
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles included in certain commercial products or resulting from the breakdown of larger plastics. They can be harmful to the environment, as well as to animal and human health
Nanoplastics
Nanoplastics are plastic particles generally produced during the degradation and manufacturing of plastic objects. They exhibit colloidal behavior and have a size range from 1 to 1000 nm
Toxicity
Plastic products contain additives that can be toxic. Additionally, plastics can retain toxic chemicals, including persistent organic compounds. Small plastic particles can also accumulate in tissues and cause toxic damage
Risk assessment
Risk assessment combines hazard and exposure to understand the real-world danger posed by a chemical based on its intrinsic hazards in light of anticipated exposure
Ecologial impact
Ecological impact is defined as the set of effects on organisms and their environment due to human actions and natural occurrences. These changes are not necessarily adverse, but they generally have some impact
Remediation
Environmental remediation is the process of removing contaminants from sites that have been polluted by various human activities, including industrial, manufacturing, mining, residential, and commercial activities
Dissemination
Dissemination is a conscious effort to spread findings, knowledge, and practices to target audiences or the public at large. It is a responsibility towards society, which provides most of our funding

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