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Wettability of microplastic particles affects their water-to-air ejection via bubble bursting.
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Researchers experimentally investigated how the wettability (hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity) of microplastic particles affects their enrichment into jet droplets ejected when bubbles burst at the ocean surface, providing new insight into the mechanisms by which microplastics are transferred across the air-sea interface and potentially aerosolized.
Bubble bursting during oceanic breaking waves releases tiny droplets that can transport species, including sea salt, microorganisms, and microplastics, across the air-water interface. Limited number of studies have explored the nuances of microplastic particles scavenged by rising bubbles and their enrichment into aerosolized droplets. This study aims to experimentally investigate how wettability of microplastic particles affect their enrichment into jet droplets. Experiments are conducted with 1 μm diameter surface-modified polystyrene (PS) particles of two contrasting wettabilities (i.e., hydrophilic vs. hydrophobic) in a bubble bursting setup that can generate a population of jet droplets via numerous sub-200-μm radius bubbles. Results show that the enrichment factor—defined here as the ratio of particle concentration in the generated droplets to that in the bulk water—of hydrophobic PS is approximately one order of magnitude higher than that of hydrophilic PS. The findings of this study highlight the importance of particle surface properties in enhancing their aerosolization at the air-water interface. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559136/document
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