POS9-0232
Influence of Plastic Surface Hardness on Micro- and Nanoplastic Generation Under Hydrodynamic Forces
Topic
S9. Polymer Technology for Sustainability
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Hyungrai Kim (Sogang University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Risks from microplastics in the food chain are critical environmental health concerns. Aqueous food reactors inevitably release particles due to mechanical wear from continuous operation and aging. This study clarifies the correlation between polymer surface hardness and microplastic generation. To precisely track micro- and nano-sized plastics in aquatic environments, an efficient approach combining Nile Red fluorescence staining with NanoSight particle tracking was used. This method enables rapid, cost-effective, and intuitive quantification of particle count and size without complex pre-treatment. Testing across various polymers revealed a significant inverse correlation between surface hardness and microplastic shedding. In conclusion, higher surface hardness improves resistance to physical stress, effectively suppressing particle generation. These findings provide essential guidelines for selecting safe, durable reactor materials to minimize contamination.
