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Evaluation of microplastic contamination by metals in a controlled environment: A risk to be considered
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Researchers found that PET microplastics readily adsorb nickel, copper, and cobalt under controlled conditions, confirming that metal contamination of microplastics in aquatic systems represents a compounding environmental risk worth monitoring.
Abstract The metal contamination and the degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) due to human activities have contributed to the worsening of environmental problems in aquatic systems. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate PET microplastic adsorption levels when exposed to high amounts of Ni, Cu and Co. The PET microplastic was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, surface area, porosity, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance. The results showed that the surface area, the presence of macro and mesopores, and the functional groups influence the adsorption of metals on the surface of PET microplastic. The construction and shape of the adsorption isotherms confirmed the presence of mesoporosity and macroporosity on the PET microplastic surface. The Freundlich and Langmuir models were used to study the adsorption capacity. The kinetics of adsorptions were interpreted using pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order models. The results indicated that the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second order adequately described the adsorption of metals by the PET microplastic. The removal rates by the PET microplastic varied from 8 to 34 % for Ni, 5 to 40 % for Cu and 7 to 27 % for Co after a period of 5 days. Furthermore, the adsorption was predominantly chemical and extremely fast, indicating that the presence of microplastics in the environment can lead to a rapid metal accumulation which elevates the hazards potential of microplastic in living beings.
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Evaluation of microplastic contamination by metals in a controlled environment: A risk to be considered
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Researchers found that polyethylene terephthalate microplastics readily adsorb nickel, copper, and zinc metals in aquatic environments, demonstrating that degraded plastics can act as carriers for metal contaminants and pose compounded environmental risks.
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This study examined how polyethylene microplastics adsorb heavy metals — specifically lead, copper, and nickel — from water, with implications for how plastic pollution can concentrate and transport toxic contaminants in aquatic environments.
Metal adsorption by microplastics in aquatic environments under controlled conditions: exposure time, pH and salinity
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Scientists systematically varied pH, salinity, and exposure time during metal adsorption experiments on different microplastic types, finding that pH had the greatest influence on metal uptake, with higher pH favoring adsorption of copper, lead, and cadmium onto most tested polymers.
Features of Heavy Metals Sorption by Microplastics in Environmentally Relevant Conditions
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Experiments using aged PET microplastics in natural lake water showed that the particles sorb heavy metals (cobalt, nickel, copper, cadmium, lead) in environmentally relevant concentrations, but the sorption isotherms differed from those measured in synthetic laboratory solutions. This matters because microplastics acting as vectors for heavy metals in real freshwater conditions could increase metal bioavailability and toxicity to aquatic life and potentially to humans who drink the water.
A comparative evaluation of metal sorption across environmentally relevant microplastics: a focus on polyethylene terephthalate
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This review pulls together existing research on how microplastics—including common plastic bottle material (PET)—can act like tiny magnets for toxic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, potentially carrying them through waterways and into the food chain. The findings suggest this "sticking power" depends heavily on water conditions (freshwater vs. saltwater) rather than just the type of plastic, meaning the risk isn't uniform everywhere. While this doesn't prove direct harm to humans yet, it underscores why scientists need more consistent testing methods to figure out how much of a health risk these contaminated microplastics really pose.
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