Supplementary Information on Aging of microplastics exposed to UV irradiation and its effect on the sorption of organic contaminants in freshwater

Summary

This study looked at how sunlight breaks down tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in lake and river water, and how that "aging" process changes their ability to soak up harmful chemical pollutants. The key takeaway: sunlight-damaged microplastics may attract and carry more toxic chemicals than fresh ones, which matters because these contaminated particles can end up in the water we drink or the fish we eat. Note: this appears to be a supplementary data file rather than the full study, so it mainly documents the raw data and methods behind the findings described above rather than presenting new conclusions itself.