We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Natural Organic Matter Decreases the Sorption Capacityof Fipronil and Its Degradation Products onto Polyethylene Microplastics:Combined Experimental and Theoretical Insights
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers assessed the sorption behavior of the insecticide fipronil and its degradation products onto polyethylene microplastics in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) using combined kinetic experiments and computational modeling. They found that dissolved NOM substantially reduced the sorption capacity of microplastics for fipronil compounds by competing for hydrophobic binding sites on the polymer surface.
Microplastics (MPs) can sorb hydrophobic contaminants, such as pesticides, in water. Herein, we aimed to assess the interactions of fipronil, a toxic insecticide, and its degradation products fipronil sulfone and fipronil sulfide with polyethylene (PE) MPs in ultrapure and river water. Kinetics experiments showed that, in ultrapure water, fipronil and its degradation products were greatly sorbed by PE MPs. At equilibrium, we observed adsorption of 86, 86, and 76% of fipronil, fipronil sulfone, and fipronil sulfide, respectively. In river water, the adsorption capacity of PE MPs was substantially reduced. In fact, a negative correlation was observed between the dissolved organic carbon concentration in river water and the PE MP adsorption capacity. Similarly, adding humic acids (HAs) to ultrapure water led to a lower PE adsorption capacity for the three contaminants. Density functional theory revealed that the low binding energy between HA and fipronil and its degradation products inhibits their adsorption onto MP surfaces coated with HAs, decreasing the adsorption capacity of PE MPs. Our results show that PE MPs may not play a very significant role in the removal and transport of fipronil and its degradation products in waters with high dissolved organic matter concentrations, affecting the bioavailability of these compounds to aquatic organisms.
More Papers Like This
Natural Organic Matter Decreases the Sorption Capacity of Fipronil and Its Degradation Products onto Polyethylene Microplastics: Combined Experimental and Theoretical Insights
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how natural organic matter (NOM) affects the sorption of the insecticide fipronil and its degradation products (fipronil sulfone and fipronil sulfide) onto polyethylene microplastics in both ultrapure and river water using kinetic experiments and computational modeling. They found that NOM substantially decreased sorption capacity by competing for binding sites on the microplastic surface, with theoretical insights confirming the competitive displacement mechanism.
Comparative analysis on the sorption kinetics and isotherms of fipronil on nondegradable and biodegradable microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
The sorption behavior of the pesticide fipronil onto biodegradable and conventional non-degradable microplastics was compared through both experiments and molecular dynamics simulations, finding differences in how strongly each plastic type binds the pesticide. Biodegradable plastics, often considered safer alternatives, may carry different pesticide contamination risks than conventional plastics when they fragment into microparticles.
Adsorption of three pesticides on polyethylene microplastics in aqueous solutions: Kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamics, and molecular dynamics simulation
AI summary Read the abstract
Adsorption experiments showed that polyethylene microplastics bind three pesticides (imidacloprid, buprofezin, difenoconazole) in aqueous solution via physical mechanisms, with adsorption capacity following the order difenoconazole > buprofezin > imidacloprid based on hydrophobicity, and fitting Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetic models.
In Vitro Sorption Study of Some Organochlorine Pesticides on Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that organochlorine pesticides adsorb significantly (up to 50%) onto PET microplastic surfaces in laboratory conditions, with adsorption rates varying by compound hydrophobicity. This confirms that microplastics can concentrate pesticide pollutants and potentially transport them to organisms that ingest the particles.
Distinct interferences of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on adsorption of pesticide mixture in agricultural soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how conventional and biodegradable microplastics alter pesticide adsorption dynamics in agricultural soils, finding that the surface properties of microplastics — particularly their affinity coefficients — were the dominant factor governing pesticide fate, introducing significant complexity and uncertainty into predictions of pesticide environmental risk.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.