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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. Environmental Sources Marine & Wildlife Remediation Sign in to save

Cigarette filter fibres as a source and sink of trace metals in coastal waters

Chemosphere 2023 11 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Abigail Louise Cundell, Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Abigail Louise Cundell, Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner Andrew Turner

Summary

Spent cigarette filter material, made from cellulose acetate, leaches metals like cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc into river and coastal waters — and also absorbs trace metals from the water column. This dual role as both a source and sink of metal contamination makes cigarette filter microplastic fibers a potentially significant but overlooked contributor to heavy metal cycling in aquatic environments.

Study Type Environmental

Cellulose acetate fibres from cigarette filters represent a form of microplastic that has received little attention in the environment. In this study, a ground composite of spent, smoked filter material (FM) has been used to investigate the role of cellulose acetate fibres as a source and a sink of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in coastal waters. FM suspended in river water and seawater and mixtures thereof representative of an estuarine gradient resulted in the leaching of pre-existent metals derived from the combustion of tobacco, with mean percentages of release ranging from about 40 for Pb to nearly 90 for Cd, Co and Zn. Addition of 40 μg L<sup>-1</sup> of each metal to FM suspensions incubated for 48 h yielded mean partition coefficients (K<sub>D</sub>s) ranging from <10 L kg<sup>-1</sup> for Co to > 100 L kg<sup>-1</sup> for Cu, Pb and Zn, with Cu and Ni displaying a net increase in K<sub>D</sub> with increasing salinity. Adsorption is interpreted in terms of hydrophobic interactions between metal-organic complexes and the cellulose acetate surface, and in support of this assertion K<sub>D</sub>s exhibited a significant, positive relationship with published metal-humic acid binding constants. The findings of this study improve our understanding of the role of cellulosic microfibres more generally in transporting trace metals in aquatic systems.

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