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Altered interactions and joint toxicity between microplastics and zinc induced by activated sludge composting process

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2026 Score: 50 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Zihui Zhao, Lijun Wu, Changyu Ma, Lijun Wu Changyu Ma, Changyu Ma, Xinyuan Hu, Yaguang Nie, Xinyuan Hu, Zihui Zhao, Changyu Ma, Zihui Zhao, Yaguang Nie, Tianyu Guo, Tianyu Guo, Yaguang Nie, Yaguang Nie, Zihui Zhao, Lijun Wu Lijun Wu, Lijun Wu, Lijun Wu

Summary

Researchers studied how the composting process ages microplastics made of PET, PP, and PE, and how this aging alters their interactions with the heavy metal zinc. They found that composting increased cracks and oxygen-containing groups on the plastic surfaces, enhancing their capacity to adsorb zinc and increasing the combined toxicity to the model organism C. elegans. The study suggests that aged microplastics in compost may increase heavy metal bioavailability when applied to agricultural soils.

Polymers

PE PET PP

Body Systems

Reproductive

Models

C elegans

Sludge-derived organic compost is widely recognized as a key carrier of microplastic (MP) input to agricultural soils; however, the accompanied environmental modification, such as aging, and the subsequent environmental impact of MPs are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the aging of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene (PE) in organic compost of sludge, its effect on the environmental behavior of co-occurring heavy metal zinc (Zn), and their joint toxicity on model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Cracks and grooves were observed to have formed on the surface of aged MPs (A-MPs), and the abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups increased significantly following composting treatment. The adsorption capacity of A-MPs for Zn was generally enhanced, with A-PET showing the most profound increase. The dissolved organic matter (DOM) released during PET aging primarily consisted of three components, and Zn was preferentially complexed with the protein-like C1 fraction (48.50 %). We found that the aging process enhanced the joint reproductive toxicity of PET and Zn to C. elegans. This may result from accelerated Zn desorption from PET in the nematode's lower pH gut and promoted Zn bioaccumulation. Our results elucidated the relevant mechanism through which oxidative aging in the composting environment remodels MPs' surface properties and enhances heavy metal adsorption and bioavailability. These findings provided a key scientific basis for evaluating the environmental risks of MP-pollutant composites.

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