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Sorption Behavior of Organic Pollutants on Biodegradable and Nondegradable Microplastics: pH Effects
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This study tested how water pH affects the adsorption of chlorinated phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and halogenated benzenes onto seven types of microplastics — including biodegradable bioplastics. At neutral pH (7), microplastics bound chlorinated phenols most strongly, while PAH and halogenated benzene adsorption was pH-independent. The findings matter because they show that even biodegradable plastic alternatives can carry toxic co-contaminants in freshwater systems, complicating the environmental safety case for bioplastics.
Microplastics (MPs), chlorinated phenols (CPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and halogenated benzenes (HBs) are pollutants that are widely present in freshwater systems. As alternatives to conventional plastics, bioplastics are receiving a lot of attention, but there are limited data on their impact on pollutant behavior. This work therefore investigated the impact of pH on the sorption of CPs, PAHs and HBs, as some of the toxic and highly persistent pollutants, on seven different plastics using kinetic and isotherm studies. The pH of the water matrix impacted the adsorption behavior of CPs on all selected MPs, with the highest degree of adsorption occurring at pH 7 for the majority of the selected CPs. The highest adsorption affinity of CPs on the MPs, at pH 7, was obtained for 4-chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol on powdered polyethylene standard (qt = 221 μg/g), while the lowest was obtained for the adsorption of pentachlorophenol on polyethylene terephthalate (qt = 25 μg/g). On the other hand, the pH value of the water matrix did not affect the adsorption of halogenated benzenes and PAHs on MPs. The pseudo-second-order rate model fit the adsorption kinetics data of all experiments. The results obtained for the adsorption of CPs on MPs indicated a lower sorption affinity of CPs with MPs at pH 4 and pH 10 compared to pH 7. The Langmuir isotherm, at pH 7, implied that 4-chlorophenol’s adsorption affinity was not significantly influenced by the type of MPs. On the other hand, at pH 7, the adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol varied greatly, with powdered MP types showing the highest affinity for CP adsorption. Furthermore, the obtained adsorption isotherm results imply that electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonds, π-π interactions and van der Waals interactions, are an integral part of adsorption mechanisms of the CPs on the MPs.
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Microplastics and bioplastics both adsorb toxic chlorinated phenol compounds from freshwater, with adsorption rates depending on the plastic type and contaminant. This finding shows that even bioplastic alternatives to conventional plastic can act as carriers for toxic chemicals in aquatic environments.
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This study examined how organic pollutants adsorb onto both conventional and biodegradable microplastics, and how degradation of the plastic surface affects adsorption capacity over time. The results show that degradable plastics can also serve as vectors for organic pollutants, challenging the assumption that biodegradable alternatives are environmentally benign.
Adsorption behavior of organic pollutants and metals on micro/nanoplastics in the aquatic environment
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments adsorb organic pollutants and metals onto their surfaces, effectively acting as carriers for other contaminants. Researchers found that environmental factors like pH, salinity, and aging of the plastic significantly influence this sorption behavior. The findings raise concerns that microplastics may increase the bioavailability and toxicity of chemical pollutants in waterways.
Microplastics and organic contaminants: Investigation of the sorption process on different polymer types
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Researchers investigated sorption of organic contaminants onto microplastics collected from environmental samples, finding that real-world MPs had different sorption capacities than laboratory-prepared particles due to surface aging, biofouling, and co-sorption of natural organic matter.
A Comparative Sorption Study for Phenol & Tricholorophenol onto Polyethylene Type Microplastics
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Researchers compared how phenol and 2,3,6-trichlorophenol sorb onto polyethylene microplastics, finding that the more hydrophobic chlorinated compound had significantly higher affinity for the plastic surface. The study contributes to understanding how microplastics may transport and concentrate organic pollutants in freshwater environments.
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