Recent advances on microplastic aging: Identification, mechanism, influence factors, and additives release

Microplastics pollution has attracted worldwide attention in recent years due to their wide distribution and severe threat to biota. Additionally, microplastics will undergo serious aging effects after being discarded into the environment. Aging can change surface properties and affect the environmental behavior of microplastics. However, information on the aging process and influencing factors of microplastics are still limited. This review summarized recently reported characterization methods, and aging means of microplastics. Subsequently, the corresponding aging mechanisms (abrasion, chemical oxidation, light irradiation, and biodegradation) and the intervention mechanism of environmental factors are revealed, which is helpful to understand the environmental aging processes and ecological risks of microplastics. Besides, to further comprehend the potential environmental toxicity of microplastics, the article also outlined the release of additives during aging. This paper provides reference directions for further study on aging microplastics through a systematic review. Future research works should further facilitate the development of technologies to identify aged microplastics. And more attention needs to focus on narrowing the gap between laboratory aging simulation and the natural environment, thereby enhancing research authenticity and environmental relevance.