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First determination on two kinds of microplastic-air partition coefficients of seven per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances under environmentally relative conditions: Experiment measurement and model prediction
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This study measured, for the first time, how PFAS "forever chemicals" partition between microplastic surfaces and air under real environmental conditions. Using two common plastics (HDPE and polyurethane), the researchers found that PFASs can volatilize off microplastics — and that higher temperatures and humidity increase this transfer. This matters because microplastics in the environment may act not just as carriers of PFAS in water, but also as sources that re-release these chemicals into air, expanding exposure pathways.
Microplastics (MPs) in the environment are the sink and vector of organic contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Although PFASs are low- and non-volatile compounds, they have the potential to partition and diffuse from MP into the gas phase in the environmental functions. Herein, the MP-air partition coefficient (K) of seven PFASs was measured using a solid-fugacity meter. The PFAS K values in two MPs (high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)) were determined under different times, temperatures, and relative humidities (RH), and a model was developed to predict the PFAS K values based on the measured data. The results showed that the K of PFASs increased with the prolonged partition time until 90 mins, and higher temperature and RH facilitated the distribution of PFASs in MPs into the air phase, leading to smaller K values. Moreover, the derived equation for predicting PFAS log K values was robust with 0.79 of an adjusted square of correlation coefficient (R = 0.79) and 0.35 of root mean squared error (RMSE = 0.35). These findings provided the first knowledge for understanding the partition behavior and fate of PFASs in the MP-air microenvironment.
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This review examines how PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," move through water, soil, plants, and air, with their ultra-strong carbon-fluorine bonds making them nearly indestructible in nature. While focused on PFAS rather than microplastics specifically, the two pollutants often co-occur and share similar concerns about persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential health effects.
From co-occurrence to co-existence and co-exposure: Associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and microplastics in the environment
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This review examines the growing recognition that PFAS chemicals and microplastics frequently co-occur in the environment and may interact in ways that affect both ecological and human health. Researchers identified four major sources that emit both pollutants simultaneously and found strong evidence that PFAS can adsorb onto microplastic surfaces and be co-transported through the environment. The study calls for standardized methods and long-term studies to better understand the combined exposure risks of these two widespread contaminant classes.
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called microplastics can strongly attract and hold onto toxic "forever chemicals" called PFAS, which are already found in drinking water and food. This means microplastics in our environment could act like sponges that collect these harmful chemicals and potentially transport them to new places, including into our bodies. The research helps explain why these two types of pollution might work together to create bigger health risks than either one alone.
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