When plastic containers degrade, they can release microplastics and endocrine disrupting chemicals into their contents. This project investigated whether an engineered silicone-based elastomeric barrier coating could reduce microplastic release from plastic containers under simulated environmental stress conditions.
Identical 500 ml polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were used, with some coated internally and others left uncoated. Glass containers served as a control to establish baseline contamination levels. Testing was conducted under two environmental stressors: ultraviolet (UV) exposure and thermal stress. Water samples were subsequently filtered using a vacuum filtration apparatus onto membrane filter papers and analyzed under a compound light microscope.
Background-corrected results show that coated bottles released 100% fewer microplastics than uncoated bottles under UV conditions, and 76.9% fewer under heat conditions. Both fibers and fragments were identified, with uncoated samples producing predominantly larger and longer fibers, while coated samples produced shorter, finer particles — suggesting the coating interrupts surface fragmentation in addition to reducing particle count.
These results are considered minimum estimates due to limitations including short trial duration, inconsistent experimental conditions, 40× magnification limiting detection to larger particles, and incomplete sample filtration. Despite these limitations, a clear and consistent pattern emerged across both conditions. The coating shows significant potential as a practical solution to reduce microplastic contamination from plastic containers, with further research under more rigorous conditions recommended to fully quantify its effectiveness.
