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Distribution and Biological Response of Nanoplastics in Constructed Wetland Microcosms: Mechanistic Insights into the Role of Photoaging
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This study looked at how sunlight aging changes the behavior of nanoplastics in wetland ecosystems. Researchers found that sun-aged nanoplastics accumulated differently in plants, water, and soil compared to fresh ones, and caused stronger biological responses in wetland organisms, suggesting that weathered nanoplastics in the environment may be more harmful than previously thought.
Concern over nanoplastic contamination of wetland ecosystems has been increasing. However, little is known about the effect of photoaging on the distribution and biological response of the nanoplastics. Here, palladium-labeled polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-Pd NPs) at 0.05-50 mg/L were exposed to constructed wetland microcosms containing floating (Eichhornia crassipes) and submerged (Vallisneria natans) macrophytes. Results demonstrate that PS-Pd NPs' concentration in surface water after 2-4 weeks of exposure was decreased by over 98.4% as compared with that in the 1st week. Photoaging enhanced the surface charge and colloidal stability of PS-Pd NPs, with a subsequent increase of the content of PS-Pd NPs in surface and middle layer water by 264.6 and 207.4%, respectively. Additionally, photoaging significantly enhanced the accumulation of PS-Pd NPs in E. crassipes roots by 6.9-65.0% and significantly decreased it in V. natans shoots by 59.7-123.0%. PS-Pd NPs inhibited the growth of V. natans by 43.8% at 50 mg/L. Mechanistically, PS-Pd NPs induced oxidative stress in V. natans, leading to the disruption of the metabolic pathway. Interestingly, PS-Pd NP exposure inhibited nitrification in wetland ecosystems due to the alteration of the related bacterial community (Ellin6067 decreased by 13.19%). These findings deepen our understanding of the environmental fate and risk of plastic particles in wetland ecosystems.
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The wheel of time: The environmental dance of aged micro- and nanoplastics and their biological resonance
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics change as they age in the environment through exposure to sunlight, water, and biological activity. Aged plastics behave differently than fresh ones: they accumulate faster in ecosystems, are more easily taken up by organisms, and can release trapped chemicals as they break down. The findings suggest that the real-world health and environmental risks of microplastics may be greater than lab studies using new, unweathered plastics indicate.
Comprehensive Understanding on the Aging Process and Mechanism of Microplastics in the Sediment–Water Interface: Untangling the Role of Photoaging and Biodegradation
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Researchers examined how microplastics break down at the boundary between water and sediment in coastal wetlands, comparing the roles of sunlight-driven aging and biological degradation. They found that photoaging was the dominant process, accounting for over 55% of surface changes, and that biodegradable plastics aged faster than conventional ones. The study provides important insights into how microplastics transform in real-world coastal environments.
Photo-oxidation of Micro- and Nanoplastics: Physical, Chemical, and Biological Effects in Environments
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This review examines how sunlight breaks down micro- and nanoplastics in the environment, changing their surface properties and making them interact differently with pollutants and living organisms. Sun-aged plastic particles can become more toxic to aquatic life and affect soil microbe communities, but many questions remain about these processes under real-world conditions.
Natural Organic Matter Stabilizes Pristine Nanoplastics but Destabilizes Photochemical Weathered Nanoplastics in Monovalent Electrolyte Solutions
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This study examined how sunlight weathering and natural organic matter coatings change the behavior of nanoplastics in water. Researchers found that organic matter stabilizes fresh nanoplastics but actually destabilizes sun-weathered ones, meaning aged nanoplastics in natural waters may clump together and settle differently than expected, affecting where they end up in aquatic environments.
Insights into the Photoaging Behavior of Microplastics: Environmental Fate and Ecological Risk
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This review examines how sunlight ages microplastics in the environment, breaking them into smaller pieces and changing their surface chemistry in ways that make them more toxic and more likely to carry other pollutants. Sun-aged microplastics release dissolved organic matter that can harm aquatic life, and their roughened surfaces attract more bacteria and chemical contaminants. Since most microplastics in nature have been exposed to sunlight, their real-world health risks may be higher than studies using fresh lab plastics suggest.
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