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Methylmercury sorption to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers and relevance to environmental exposure
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Researchers measured how methylmercury, a toxic form of mercury, sticks to polyester (PET) microplastic fibers released from clothing. They found that while the fibers do absorb some mercury, the amount is about 10,000 times lower than what naturally occurs on tiny organisms at the base of the food web. This is actually reassuring news, suggesting that PET microplastic fibers in the environment do not significantly increase mercury exposure for organisms that accidentally eat them.
Considerable amounts of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastic fibers are released into the environment by the laundering of polyester clothing. Microplastic fibers can be ingested by organisms in the environment. Therefore, it has been suggested that microplastic fibers act as vectors for adsorbed contaminants, which are subsequently desorbed in the gut of the organism. We undertook sorption isotherm experiments at pH 6, 7, and 8 to quantify the sorption of methylmercury (MeHg) to PET fibers. Sorption isotherms were fit to Langmuir, Freundlich, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller models. Sorption decreased with increasing pH, which can be explained by physisorption on the negatively charged PET surfaces and the greater presence of neutral or negatively charged MeHg species at higher pH. We used the parameters obtained by the model fits to predict the likely concentration of MeHg on PET microplastic fibers in aquatic ecosystems with environmentally realistic MeHg concentrations. We calculated MeHg concentrations on PET microplastic fibers to be four orders of magnitude lower than previously observed concentrations of MeHg in seston (suspended particles comprising algae and bacteria) at the base of the aquatic food web. The results indicate that the presence of PET microplastic fibers in the environment do not elevate the MeHg exposure to organisms that ingest fibers in the environment.
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Bioaccumulation and depuration dynamics of polyester microfibres in Mytilus galloprovincialis
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Scientists tested how mussels—a popular seafood—absorb and get rid of tiny polyester fibers (like those shed from synthetic clothing) at different exposure levels, and found that higher exposure didn't necessarily mean more fibers stayed trapped in the mussels' bodies. Even more notably, the "clean" mussels used as a comparison group already had microplastic fibers in them before the experiment even started, showing just how widespread this contamination already is. This matters because it suggests eating mussels and other shellfish is a likely route for microplastics to enter our diets, even from seafood we assume is uncontaminated.
An Overview of the Sorption Studies of Contaminants on Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Microplastics in the Marine Environment
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This review examines how polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics adsorb and release both organic and metallic contaminants in the marine environment. Researchers analyzed the sorption mechanisms and kinetic models used to study how pollutants bind to PET particles. The study underscores the growing concern that PET microplastics, one of the most common plastics found in ocean pollution, may serve as carriers for toxic chemicals in marine ecosystems.
Adsorption of selected 3- and 4-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on polyester microfibers – preliminary studies
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Tiny polyester fibers, the kind that shed from your clothes during washing, can soak up significant amounts of toxic pollutants called PAHs (found in things like exhaust fumes and grilled food) and hold onto them rather than releasing them back into water. This matters because these microfibers end up in wastewater and waterways, potentially acting as tiny transport vehicles that carry harmful chemicals through the environment and possibly into the food chain, though more research is needed to understand the actual health risks this poses.
Evaluation of the adsorption efficiency of carcinogenic PAHs on microplastic (polyester) fibers—preliminary results
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Researchers found that polyester microfibers — the tiny plastic threads shed from clothing during washing — can absorb large amounts of cancer-linked polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), accumulating up to 1,255 micrograms per gram of fiber, which means microplastics in sewage sludge may be concentrating toxic chemicals before they reach the environment.
Leaching of heavy metals from polyester microplastic fibers and the potential risks in simulated real-world scenarios
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Researchers measured heavy metals in common polyester textiles and tested how much metal leaches out during simulated washing, sweating, and digestion scenarios. They found that certain textiles contained elevated levels of antimony, chromium, and other metals that could be released when microplastic fibers shed from clothing. The study's risk assessment suggests that while individual fiber ingestion poses low acute risk, cumulative exposure through multiple pathways warrants further investigation.
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