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Interaction of Microplastics with Emerging Organic Pollutants: A Study on Atrazine Adsorption and Phytotoxicity
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Researchers studied how aged and pristine polyethylene microplastics adsorb the herbicide atrazine and whether this combination affects plant seed germination. Aged microplastics absorbed significantly more atrazine than new ones due to surface changes from UV exposure, and the atrazine-loaded aged particles inhibited lettuce germination by up to 34%. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in agricultural environments may amplify the harmful effects of pesticide contamination.
The adsorption of atrazine (ATZ) onto pristine and aged polyethylene microplastics (MPs) was investigated in distilled water (DW) and hydroponic nutrient-enriched water (EW) to evaluate its phytotoxic effects on Lactuca sativa germination. Aged microplastics (AMPs) exhibited higher ATZ adsorption in both conditions: 0.646 mg/g (14.49%) in DW and 0.742 mg/g (15.87%) in EW, compared to 0.405 mg/g (9.08%) and 0.504 mg/g (10.78%) for pristine microplastics (PMPs), respectively. This increase was attributed to photodegradation-induced surface modifications on MP, including increased roughness and the formation of oxygenated functional groups. The phytotoxicity assays showed that ATZ adsorbed onto AMPs inhibited seed germination more severely, with a maximum inhibition of 34% at 2 mg/L, evidencing that microplastic aging enhances ATZ adsorption and increases toxicity risks in aquatic environments, particularly under eutrophic conditions. The combined presence of MP and ATZ resulted in greater toxicity, attributed to a synergistic effect, as observed in dry and wet mass inhibition. These findings indicate that pollutant interactions amplify negative impacts on plant development. Furthermore, ATZ primarily affects root growth through direct physical contact with MP rather than via desorption into water.
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Investigation of the sorption behavior of atrazine in new and aged microplastic and evaluation of its phytotoxic potential
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Researchers studied the sorption of atrazine onto new and aged polyethylene microplastics in distilled and nutrient-enriched (eutrophic) water, then assessed the phytotoxic effects on Lactuca sativa germination. Aged MPs adsorbed more atrazine than new MPs, and the combination increased phytotoxicity over atrazine alone, showing that weathered microplastics amplify herbicide risks in aquatic environments.
Mechanistic interpretation of the sorption of terbuthylazine pesticide onto aged microplastics
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Researchers investigated how accelerated weathering — using UV irradiation, hydrogen peroxide, and ultrasonic treatment — alters the surface properties of polyethylene microplastics and affects their sorption of the herbicide terbuthylazine. Aged polyethylene particles showed measurably different sorption kinetics and capacities compared to pristine particles, providing mechanistic insight into how environmental aging changes microplastic interactions with organic pollutants like pesticides.
Interactions between microplastics from agricultural films and soil in regulating atrazine adsorption: A mechanistic and environmental relevance study.
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Lab tests mixed microplastics from weathered or new plastic farm films into soil to see how they affect the soil's ability to hold the pesticide atrazine. Weathered plastic particles, which had rougher surfaces and oxygen-containing chemical groups, bound atrazine more strongly than new plastic, with particle size, amount of plastic, and aging level all affecting the results.
Environmental fate of atrazine in surface water: The dual role of photoaged microplastics in adsorption and photodegradation
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Lab tests examined how microplastics (weathered and fresh plastic particles) affect the weedkiller atrazine in water. Weathered plastics absorbed more atrazine and sped up its breakdown via reactive chemicals formed under light, though aged polystyrene slightly slowed breakdown in some conditions, with the type of plastic mattering more than weathering.
Effects of microplastics on the environmental behaviors of the herbicide atrazine in soil: Dissipation, adsorption, and bioconcentration
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Researchers examined how the presence of microplastics in soil affects the behavior of the herbicide atrazine, including how quickly it breaks down and how much is absorbed by plants. They found that microplastics reduced the herbicide's half-life in soil, increased its adsorption to soil particles, and significantly boosted its uptake into plant tissues. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could change how pesticides behave, potentially increasing crop contamination.
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