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Investigation of the adsorption of heavy metals on airborne microplastics in two coastal cities of portsmouth, uk and lagos, nigeria
Summary
Researchers compared heavy metal adsorption onto airborne microplastics collected from two different environments under varying real-time atmospheric conditions. Environmental factors including humidity and pollution levels significantly influenced how much metal was adsorbed, affecting the combined toxicity of these inhalable pollutants.
As emerging pollutant of growing global concern, airborne microplastics and heavy metals pollution are gaining increasing investigation. However, the influence of varying real-time environmental working conditions on the interaction of different microplastics and heavy metals is yet to be well understood. In the ongoing study, we are investigating the adsorption capacity of microplastics for heavy metals under simulated condition of Portsea Island atmosphere in Portsmouth in the United Kingdom and those of Lagos Island in Nigeria, West Africa. Both study areas are of international geographical importance for air quality monitorinh and climate sustainability use. Different microplastic polymers including polyethylene (PE), polystrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyether sulfone (PES) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are being investaged with respect to their adsorption capacity with lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickle (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Whilst micron Raman and SEM EDS are used for polymer identifacation, morphological and other physicochemical characterisation of microplastics and identification of elemental chemical composition, ICP-OES is used for heavy metals concentrations during simulated adsorption experiment. This will determine the amount of adsorbed heavy metals onto different types of microplastics. Real-time and simulated experimental results under different working conditions including particle size, temperature, exposure time and concentration of heavy. Adsorption capacity results are being used to investigate the adsorption capacity of different polymers of microplastics and potential influence of some physical atmospheric conditions. Furthermore, the potential of microplastics to act as carries in transport of heavy metals in the ecosystem is investigated. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559769/document