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Biofilms retard the desorption of benzo(a)pyrene from polyethylene pellets in the marine environment
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This field study examined how biofilms growing on polyethylene plastic pellets in marine environments affect the release of the toxic carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene. Biofilms significantly slowed desorption of this compound from plastic surfaces, meaning biofouling affects how plastics transport pollutants in the ocean.
Microplastics are emerging as vectors for the transport hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) in aquatic environments, however, their impact is poorly understood due to the lack of field studies. In this study, the pristine and benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P) adsorbed polyethylene (PE) pellets were placed at Haihe Estuary (Tianjin, China) for 80 days to investigate desorption behavior. Combining laboratory and in situ experiments, this study firstly verified that the intra-particle diffusion was the rate-limiting step for the desorption process of B[a]P from PE microplastics under different environmental conditions. By hindering the desorption and modifying MPs surface, biofilm might play a key role in desorption process, leading to the apparent hysteresis of the field desorption process at our time scale. Potential degradation of the polymer and B[a]P by biofilms, however, would support continuing desorption. The study explored the interaction of biofilm and MPs-contaminants mixture and its implications for the environmental fate of HOCs.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.