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Photo aging of polyester microfiber in freshwater and seawater environments: kinetics, mechanisms, and influencing factors
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UV aging of polyester (PET) microfibers accelerates faster in seawater than in freshwater, driven by reactive ions like nitrate, bromide, and chloride. This matters because faster aging in marine environments means PET microfibers — the most abundant microplastic in aquatic systems — break down more rapidly into smaller, potentially more bioavailable nanoplastic fragments in the ocean.
Microfibers, particularly polyethylene terephthalate (PET, commonly known as polyester), are the predominant form of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments. However, the process by which PET microfibers form in these environments remains unclear. To investigate this, we exposed PET microfibers to both freshwater and seawater environments and subjected them to ultraviolet irradiation for 12 days. According to atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and gel permeation chromatography analyses, PET microfibers exhibited diverse photoaging behavior in freshwater and seawater environments, with the photoaging rate in seawater higher than in freshwater and ultrapure water. Photochemically active ions, including Cl-, Br-, and NO3-, are identified as the dominant factors controlling the aging rate of PET microfibers, particularly NO3-. Mechanistic insights suggest that this effect is due to the higher steady-state concentration of •OH produced in solutions containing these ions (6.04 × 10-15 M for Cl-, 4.93 × 10-15 M for Br-, and 8.00 × 10-15 M for NO3-) compared to pure water (3.72 × 10-15 M), which further accelerates PET photoaging. These findings provide an in-depth understanding of the formation and fate of PET microfibers in freshwater and seawater environments.
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Morphology-dependent photoaging behavior of polyamide fibrous microplastics: implications for fragmentation and dissolved organic matter release
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Nylon microfibers (like those shed from clothing) don't just sit around in the ocean—sunlight causes them to crack and peel apart lengthwise, breaking into even smaller plastic fragments while also leaching protein-like chemicals into the water. Interestingly, salt in seawater actually slows this breakdown, meaning these fibers may stick around longer in coastal waters than expected, raising questions about long-term exposure for marine life and, potentially, the seafood we eat.
Which factors mainly drive the photoaging of microplastics in freshwater?
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This study systematically investigated the roles of UV irradiation, oxygen, temperature, and physical abrasion in the photoaging of polystyrene microplastics in freshwater. UV irradiation and mechanical abrasion were identified as the dominant aging factors, and their combined effect caused more extensive surface oxidation and fragmentation than either alone.
Characterisation of microplastic fibres and their degradation under environmental conditions
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This study investigated how UV radiation and mechanical stress degrade common synthetic microfibers including polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which represent the largest fraction of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments. Understanding how fibers degrade helps predict their persistence and how their physical properties change as they age in the environment.
Photo aging of polypropylene microplastics in estuary water and coastal seawater: Important role of chlorine ion
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Researchers studied how UV light ages polypropylene microplastics in estuarine and coastal seawater and found that chloride ions significantly accelerated photo-degradation by generating reactive chlorine radicals, suggesting that marine microplastics age faster than freshwater ones.
Microplastic particle versus fiber generation during photo-transformation in simulated seawater
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Researchers exposed common plastic films and fibers to simulated sunlight in seawater and tracked the photo-transformation process, finding that particles and fibers formed at different rates and that UV irradiation preferentially generates certain morphologies depending on the parent polymer.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.