Beyond total lead (Pb) content: speciation as a key control on plastic toxicity
Abstract
Despite recent regulatory efforts, large amounts of legacy plastics containing lead (Pb) additives continue to degrade in the environment. As plastics degrade to micro- and nanoscales, Pb can either be released into the environment or subsequently adsorb onto micro- and nanoplastics. This variability in Pb speciation, with each form displaying distinct leaching behaviour, complicates environmental risk assessment. Here, we compile a dataset of plastic debris collected from beaches worldwide, revealing an average Pb concentration of 110 mg kg−1, with nearly 15% items exceeding current regulatory limits. A Pb–Cr relationship is observed in nearly half of the samples, which cluster along a Pb/Cr ratio close to 4, suggesting the presence of historical PbCrO4 pigment and associated with low Pb availability. However, Pb L3-edge HERFD-XANES spectra indicate significant variability in Pb speciation, pointing to the presence of multiple, previously underrecognized Pb-based additives including organo–Pb compounds. Although these plastics do not contain the highest total Pb concentrations, those containing organic Pb additives exhibit the greatest Pb availability, demonstrating that bulk Pb content alone is a poor predictor of environmental behaviour upon degradation. The high spectral resolution of HERFD-XANES further allows the discrimination of incorporated and adsorbed Pb species, providing direct insights into Pb binding environment, leachability, and potential toxicity. Our results demonstrate that human-health risk assessments should not rely solely on total Pb concentrations, but rather on Pb speciation, which ultimately governs leaching behaviour and bioavailability.
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BibTeX
@article{bollaert2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond total lead (Pb) content: speciation as a key control on plastic toxicity}},
author = {Quentin Bollaert and Charlotte Catrouillet and Mélanie Davranche and Jean-Pascal Rueff and James Ablett and Sandra Benter and Imane Khatib and Aicha El Kharraf and Anne-Catherine Pierson-Wickmann and Julien Gigault and Delphine Vantelon},
journal = {Environmental Science: Processes \& Impacts},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1039/d6em00629a},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05843862v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Beyond total lead (Pb) content: speciation as a key control on plastic toxicity
AU - Quentin Bollaert
AU - Charlotte Catrouillet
AU - Mélanie Davranche
AU - Jean-Pascal Rueff
AU - James Ablett
AU - Sandra Benter
AU - Imane Khatib
AU - Aicha El Kharraf
AU - Anne-Catherine Pierson-Wickmann
AU - Julien Gigault
AU - Delphine Vantelon
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
JO - Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
DO - 10.1039/d6em00629a
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05843862v1
AB - Despite recent regulatory efforts, large amounts of legacy plastics containing lead (Pb) additives continue to degrade in the environment. As plastics degrade to micro- and nanoscales, Pb can either be released into the environment or subsequently adsorb onto micro- and nanoplastics. This variability in Pb speciation, with each form displaying distinct leaching behaviour, complicates environmental risk assessment. Here, we compile a dataset of plastic debris collected from beaches worldwide, revealing an average Pb concentration of 110 mg kg−1, with nearly 15% items exceeding current regulatory limits. A Pb–Cr relationship is observed in nearly half of the samples, which cluster along a Pb/Cr ratio close to 4, suggesting the presence of historical PbCrO4 pigment and associated with low Pb availability. However, Pb L3-edge HERFD-XANES spectra indicate significant variability in Pb speciation, pointing to the presence of multiple, previously underrecognized Pb-based additives including organo–Pb compounds. Although these plastics do not contain the highest total Pb concentrations, those containing organic Pb additives exhibit the greatest Pb availability, demonstrating that bulk Pb content alone is a poor predictor of environmental behaviour upon degradation. The high spectral resolution of HERFD-XANES further allows the discrimination of incorporated and adsorbed Pb species, providing direct insights into Pb binding environment, leachability, and potential toxicity. Our results demonstrate that human-health risk assessments should not rely solely on total Pb concentrations, but rather on Pb speciation, which ultimately governs leaching behaviour and bioavailability.
SN - 2050-7887
ER -