Biology 2485B Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Phthalate, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, Trawling
17 Mar 2018
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Document Summary
What is plastic: organic polymers made primarily of carbon and hydrogen. Starting material for the first plastic made was cellulose: now, starting materials are usually fossil fuels (oil, natural gas) Properties of plastics: moldable, light weight, relatively durable can break down in the environment, corrosion resistant, high thermal and electrical insulation, versatile. Plastic polymers are often not pure": various additives can be mixed with the polymers to affect performance. Inorganic fillers" (e. g. , silica) to reinforce and strengthen the material: compounds added to stabilize material under heat and ultraviolet exposure, colourings. Phthalates are common plastic additives: used to soften plastics, especially pvc, can leach out of plastics because they aren"t chemically bound to the plastic matrix, are produced in large volumes, are in a wide variety of products. Phthalates: rubber ducks aren"t made of rubber, most are made of plastic that"s been treated with phthalates.
