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Effects of water chemistry on interaction between organic contaminants and microplastics and their passage in microfiltration membrane
Summary
This study examined how water chemistry affects the interactions between organic contaminants and microplastics in agricultural runoff, and how these interactions influence passage through microfiltration membranes. Results showed that water chemistry altered both contaminant-microplastic binding and membrane filtration behavior.
The agricultural activity is a critical source of organic contaminants and microplastics (MPs). Typically, the agricultural soil is contaminated by an abundance of MPs, leaching chemicals during weathering process, and pesticides, which subsequently end up in surface water through agricultural runoff. Polymers that are most frequently used in crop production and detected in surface water are PE and PET MPs. Bisphenol (A) and atrazine are frequently detected in surface water. Nevertheless, the fate and distribution of organic pollutants in water treatment as a consequent on MP-aided transport is constrained by little knowledge on photoaged PE and PET MPs. In this research, the interaction between organic contaminants-bound MPs and their transport in microfiltration (MF) membranes are examined in relation to water chemistry, and the cytotoxicity-induced properties of photo-aged MPs are discovered. PE and PET MPs were photoaged using extensive UVC irradiation to accelerate the natural weathering processes. For MP-contaminants interaction, BPA primarily adsorbs onto MPs through hydrophobic interaction, whereas hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction are the predominant force for ATZ adsorption on the different types of MPs. Water chemistry affects the interaction of bound contaminant. NaCl, which contributes to the ionic strength (IS) of water, increases the adsorption capacity at low IS and decreases it at high IS. Conversely, SRFA minimizes the adsorption capacity of ATZ and BPA on MPs through a competitive adsorption effect. The presence of IS and SRFA does not impact on the removal efficacy and flux of MF; however, it directly contributes the transport of bound contaminants. The facilitation of the transport of contaminants-bound MPs by water chemistry is evidenced by the presence of ATZ and BPA in the permeate, desorbed sample, as well as the various bulk of MPs retained on the membrane surface after the filtration process. Additionally, this study also found that photolysis- induced aged PE and PET exhibit more toxic in macrophage and kidney cells than pristine ones. The stable EPFRs resulting from UV-irradiation induce the OH- radical, which is significant toxicity on HEK 293T and Raw264.7 cells.