We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The seasonality of the concentration of endocrine phenolic compounds in the matter attached to the surface of microplastics
Summary
Researchers studied how endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A, octylphenol, and nonylphenol accumulate on microplastic surfaces in marine environments across different seasons. The study found that the biofilm and organic matter attached to microplastics concentrated these pollutants at levels 100 to 1,000 times higher than in surrounding water, with higher concentrations during warmer growing seasons. Evidence indicates that microplastics may increase organism exposure to harmful endocrine disruptors through the organic matter that colonizes their surfaces.
Rapid biofilm formation on microplastic (MP) surfaces in marine environments and the tendency of hydrophobic pollutants to bioaccumulate may increase the exposure of organisms to ingested plastics and transport pollutants far from their sources. The role of the matter attached to MPs (MaM) in the interactions between MPs and other pollutants in marine environments is poorly understood. This paper studies pollutant sorption in MaM for three phenolic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs): bisphenol A (BPA), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP). Polypropylene (PP), expanded polystyrene (EPS), and polylactide (PLA) MPs were exposed to an environment conducive to biofouling (Vistula Lagoon, Baltic Sea) for four weeks in summer, spring, and winter. The concentrations of EDCs in MaM and the suspended particulate matter (SPM) were similar and were 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than those in water and sediment. The type and morphology of the polymers were less significant for determining the concentrations of EDCs in MaM than the season. The concentrations were higher in the growing season than in winter. EDCs increased linearly with the increase in particulate organic carbon. The relationships between organic carbon partition coefficients and octanol/water partition coefficients indicate that hydrophobic partitioning into organic matter was the dominant mechanism of 4-t-OP and 4-NP binding in MaM and in SPM. For BPA, additional sorption mechanisms seem to be significant. In addition to the direct sorption from ambient water, the binding of phytoplankton-derived particles, most probably via attachment to extracellular polymeric substances, appears to be a source of EDCs in MPs. Rough estimates showed that the largest load of particulate matter and EDCs was attached to expanded polystyrene. This study suggests that the potential negative impacts of MPs on the environment are seasonal and that low-density porous plastics can be particularly effective carriers of large EDC loads.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Sorption of alkylphenols and estrogens on microplastics in marine conditions
Researchers investigated the sorption of six endocrine-disrupting chemicals — including alkylphenols and estrogens — onto microplastics under marine conditions, supporting the hypothesis that microplastics act as a secondary contamination vector for aquatic organisms by concentrating pollutants.
Microplastics as potential bisphenol carriers: role of adsorbents, adsorbates, and environmental factors
Laboratory experiments showed that four common microplastic types — polystyrene, polypropylene, polyamide, and PVC — all readily adsorb bisphenols (BPA, BPB, BPF, BPS), with polyamide showing the highest capacity. Adsorption was strongly influenced by polymer surface chemistry, bisphenol hydrophobicity, temperature, and salinity. Because bisphenols are potent endocrine disruptors, microplastics acting as their environmental carriers could amplify human and wildlife exposure through contaminated seafood and drinking water.
Leaching of endocrine disrupting chemicals from marine microplastics and mesoplastics under common life stress conditions
Researchers measured the leaching of endocrine disrupting chemicals from marine microplastics and mesoplastics collected from the field under stress conditions that mimic real-world exposure. They found that bisphenol A was the most frequently detected compound, and that smaller plastic particles released greater quantities of these chemicals per unit mass. The study suggests that microplastics in the marine environment act as sources of hormone-disrupting substances that could affect wildlife and potentially human health.
The chemical behaviors of microplastics in marine environment: A review
This review summarized interactions between microplastics and organic pollutants and metals in the marine environment, covering sorption behavior across polymer types, the role of degradation in altering sorption capacity, and global monitoring data on pollutant concentrations on marine plastics. The authors conclude that microplastic type, pollutant properties, and environmental conditions all strongly influence chemical accumulation on plastic surfaces.
Interactions between microplastics and phthalate esters as affected by microplastics characteristics and solution chemistry
The sorption of two phthalate esters onto polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene microplastics was studied under varying conditions, finding that sorption was influenced by polymer type, phthalate structure, temperature, salinity, and dissolved organic matter. The results provide mechanistic insight into how microplastics accumulate endocrine-disrupting phthalates from the environment.