We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Comments and discussion concerning ‘Sorption behavior of tebuconazole on microplastics: kinetics, isotherms and influencing factors’ [Environ Technol. 2023;44:3937–3948]
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reanalyzed data from a published study on tebuconazole pesticide sorption onto polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyamide-6 microplastics, identifying critical flaws in the original kinetics and isotherm methodology and the interpretation of metal cation effects on sorption behavior.
The widespread use of synthetic polymers since the mid-twentieth century has led to significant environmental pollution from microplastics (MPs). These MPs, which persist in ecosystems, can interact with various pollutants, including pesticides such as tebuconazole (TEB). The subject paper investigates the sorption behaviour of TEB on different types of MPs (polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyamide-6), focusing on the kinetics and isotherms of these interactions. The role of metal cations (Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) in influencing TEB sorption is also investigated. Our findings highlight critical flaws that invalidate the original article, mainly in the interpretation of TEB physicochemical properties, such as pKa and speciation, and the importance of considering metal ion complexation in environmental risk assessment. The sorption models used by the original authors, although widely used, are questioned for their accuracy in representing real-world scenarios.
More Papers Like This
Sorption behaviour of tebuconazole on microplastics: kinetics, isotherms and influencing factors
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the adsorption of tebuconazole fungicide onto polyamide, polystyrene, and polypropylene microplastics, finding polyamide had the highest sorption capacity and that pH, salinity, and metal presence all significantly affected adsorption. The dominant mechanisms differed by polymer type, with electrostatic and hydrogen bonding governing polyamide and polypropylene while hydrophobic and intermolecular forces dominated polystyrene.
Behavior and mechanism of atrazine adsorption on pristine and aged microplastics in the aquatic environment: Kinetic and thermodynamic studies
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers systematically explored how the pesticide atrazine adsorbs onto both pristine and aged microplastics in aquatic environments. The study found that aged microplastics had higher adsorption capacities than pristine ones, with the aging process and pH significantly affecting surface charge and adsorption behavior, suggesting that weathered microplastics may carry greater loads of chemical contaminants.
Mechanistic interpretation of the sorption of terbuthylazine pesticide onto aged microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists studied how environmental aging changes the ability of polyethylene microplastics to absorb a common pesticide called terbuthylazine. Aged microplastics absorbed less pesticide than fresh ones because weathering made their surfaces less water-repellent and more negatively charged. This matters for understanding real-world risks because it suggests that the ability of microplastics to carry pesticides and other chemicals may change over time as the particles weather in the environment.
Adsorption of azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin onto degradable and non-degradable microplastics: Performance and mechanism
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how two common fungicide pesticides attach to both biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil environments. They found that non-degradable microplastics absorbed more pesticide and released it more slowly than biodegradable alternatives. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil may act as reservoirs for pesticides, potentially prolonging their environmental presence and ecological impact.
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.