Non-essential use of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in single-use plastics manufactured in India: An avoidable class of plastic additives

Benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVs) are extensively utilized as additives in various polymeric formulations to protect against harmful UV radiation. Classified as persistent, mobile, and toxic additives, BUVs have attracted the attention of researchers and regulatory bodies worldwide. However, there is limited information on the BUVs content in different plastics. This study investigated the presence of six major BUVs in plastic debris collected from Indian water bodies. Based on the usage, plastic debris was categorized into food contact materials (FCMs), personal care products (PCPs), and household items. Plastic debris made of high-density polyethylene had the highest concentrations of UV-P, followed by UV-327, UV-326, and UV-328. UV-329 was the predominant UV stabilizer detected in the PCP sachet, while UV-320 was not detected in any of the plastic debris analyzed. Leaching experiments showed that plastic debris could serve as a mobile source of BUVs to the surrounding water and pose a low to moderate ecological risk (RQ ≥ 0.1) to planktons. The content of UV stabilizer was highest in FCMs (mean ± SD: 27787.98 ± 2304.14 ng/g), compared to PCPs (mean ± SD: 9115.49 ± 2891.18 ng/g) and household items (mean ± SD: 3215.03 ± 521.92 ng/g). The occurrence of BUVs in short-lived plastics such as FCMs, PCPs sachets and daily household items raises human health concerns, questioning the necessity of adding BUVs in these plastics.