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Co-existing inorganic anions influenced the Norrish I and Norrish II type photoaging mechanism of biodegradable microplastics
Summary
Researchers studied how common inorganic anions like bromide, chloride, and nitrate influence the photoaging of biodegradable PBAT microplastics in aquatic environments. The study found that nitrate promoted degradation while other anions had varying effects, revealing that the breakdown of biodegradable plastics in natural waters is more complex than previously understood.
The degradation of biodegradable plastics (BPs) in natural environments is constrained, and the mechanisms underlying their photoaging in aquatic settings remain inadequately understood. In view of this, this study systematically investigated the photoaging process of biodegradable Poly (butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) microplastics (PBAT-MPs), which are more widely used. The investigation was carried out in the presence of common inorganic anions (Br, Cl and NO). The results of EPR, FTIR and FESEM tests, along with pseudo-first-order kinetics analyses, showed that the presence of NO promoted the photoaging of PBAT-MPs, while the presence of Br and Cl inhibited the photoaging of PBAT-MPs. In addition, the results of the Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy (2D-COS) analysis determined the order of the changes in the functional groups, revealing that the Norrish I and Norrish II reaction mechanisms are presented by PBAT-MPs during the aging process, and the process is closely related to the ion concentration and UV irradiation time. This study provides valuable insights for understanding the phototransformation process of BPs in natural aqueous environments.
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