0
Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Detection Methods Environmental Sources Marine & Wildlife Remediation Sign in to save

[Characteristics and Mechanism of Cd Release and Transport in Soil Contaminated with PE-Cd].

PubMed 2024 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 35 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Di Wang, Shaohui Xu, Mingyan Shao, Lin Qing

Summary

Researchers investigated how polyethylene (PE) microplastics affect the sorption and transport of cadmium (Cd) in soil, examining the characteristics and mechanisms of Cd release under PE contamination. Their findings reveal that microplastics alter soil physicochemical properties and sorption capacity, influencing heavy metal mobility and distribution in terrestrial ecosystems.

Polymers

Microplastics (MPs) are a type of emerging contaminants that pose a potential threat to global terrestrial ecosystems. The accumulation of MPs in soil inevitably affects soil physical and chemical properties, both directly and indirectly. Additionally, owing to their small size and surface features, MPs have excellent sorption capacity for both organic and inorganic materials, thus affecting their fate in the environment. However, the influence of MPs on heavy metal sorption and transport in soil is still not fully understood. In this study, polyethylene (PE) and Cd were selected as research objects, and on the basis of clarifying the adsorption mechanism of Cd on PE MPs, the effects of PE concentration and particle size on Cd release and transport behavior in soil under different ionic strengths and types (Ca2+ and Na+) were studied using column leaching experiments. The results of the batch experiments showed that the adsorption capacity of PE MPs for Cd2+ decreased with the increase in particle size. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Zeta potential were used to analyze the properties of PE MPs and adsorption behavior of Cd2+ onto MPs. The adsorption was mainly a physical process and was controlled by intra-particle diffusion. The adsorption kinetics could be described well by the quasi-second-order kinetics and Webber-Morris model. The adsorption isotherm conformed to the Langmuir model, indicating monolayer adsorption. The results of leaching experiments showed that the effect of PE MPs on Cd release and transport in soil was related to the CaCl2 concentration. At high ionic strength (0.05 mol·L-1 and 0.1 mol·L-1), PE promoted the transport of Cd. The effluent concentration of Cd2+ increased from 6.48 mg·L-1 and 16.79 mg·L-1 to 7.12 mg·L-1 and 23.45 mg·L-1, whereas at low ionic strength (0.01 mol·L-1), Cd transport was inhibited by PE MPs, and the effluent concentration of Cd2+ decreased from 0.66 mg·L-1 to 0.57 mg·L-1. The larger the amount of PE added, the more significant the promoting or inhibiting effect. Additionally, the release and transport of Cd in soil were also affected by the MPs particle size and concentration. When the addition amount was small (1%, 4%), the large-sized MPs were more conducive to the transport of Cd in soil. When the addition amount was large (7%, 20%), MPs with small particle sizes promoted Cd2+ transport more significantly. When the leaching solution used was NaCl, soil permeability decreased significantly. PE MPs had no significant effect on Cd release and transport but changed the stability of soil aggregates. In conclusion, PE MPs could change the release and transport behavior of Cd in soil, and the impact results were not only related to the particle size and content of MPs but were also influenced by the chemical properties of the soil solution.

Sign in to start a discussion.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Influence of polyethylene-microplastic on environmental behaviors of metals in soil

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect the adsorption, desorption, and bioavailability of heavy metals in soil. They found that adding microplastics altered how metals bind to soil particles and increased the mobility of certain metals like cadmium and lead. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in soils may change the environmental behavior of heavy metals, potentially increasing their availability to plants and soil organisms.

Article Tier 2

Polyvinyl chloride microplastics reduce Cd(II) adsorption and enhance desorption with soil-dependent mechanisms

The study investigated how polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics affect cadmium adsorption and desorption in two different soil types. Researchers found that PVC reduced cadmium adsorption and promoted its release back into the soil, potentially increasing its bioavailability and environmental risk.

Article Tier 2

Microplastics in soils with contrasting texture, organic carbon and mineralogy: changes in cadmium adsorption forms and their mobility in soil columns

This study investigated how high-density polyethylene microplastics alter the behavior of cadmium — a toxic heavy metal — in soils with different textures, organic carbon contents, and mineral compositions. Using soil column experiments, researchers found that microplastics changed how cadmium binds to soil particles and how easily it leaches downward, with effects varying depending on the soil type and microplastic particle size. Since cadmium is a known carcinogen and agricultural soils commonly contain both microplastics and heavy metals, understanding their interactions is critical for food safety.

Article Tier 2

Microplastics influence the adsorption and desorption characteristics of Cd in an agricultural soil

Batch experiments showed that polyethylene microplastics reduced cadmium adsorption but increased desorption in farmland soil, with effects varying by MP dose, particle size, and pH. The findings indicate microplastics could increase cadmium mobility in agricultural soils, potentially raising risks of crop uptake.

Article Tier 2

Effect of Microplastics on the Adsorption and Desorption Properties of Cadmium in Soil

Polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics were found to reduce soil's capacity to adsorb cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, raising concerns that microplastic contamination in farmland soils could increase the mobility and risk of heavy metal pollutants.

Share this paper