We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Emerging investigator series: microplastic-based leachate formation under UV irradiation: the extent, characteristics, and mechanisms
AI summary Read the abstract
Six common microplastic types were exposed to UV irradiation to characterize surface changes and leachate chemical profiles, finding that UV treatment generated oxidized surface groups and released diverse organic compounds. Leachate composition varied by polymer type, highlighting the role of weathering in generating secondary chemical pollution from microplastics.
Microplastics in the aquatic system are among the many inevitable consequences of plastic pollution, which has cascading environmental and public health impacts. Our study aimed at analyzing surface interactions and leachate production of six microplastics under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Leachate production was analyzed for the dissolved organic content (DOC), UV254, and fluorescence through excitation emission (EEM) to determine the kinetics and mechanisms involved in the release of organic matter by UV irradiation. The results suggested there was a clear trend of organic matter being released from the surface of the six microplastics caused by UV irradiation based on DOC, UV254 absorbance, and EEM intensity increasing with time. Polystyrene had the greatest and fastest increase in DOC concentrations, followed by the resin coated polystyrene. Experiments conducted at different temperatures indicated the endothermic nature of these leaching mechanisms. The differences in leachate formation for different polymers were attributed to their chemical makeup and their potency to interact with UV. The aged microplastic samples were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), to determine the surface changes with respect to leachate formation. Results indicated that all microplastics had increasing carbonyl indices when aged by UV with polystyrene being the greatest. These findings affirm that the leachate formation is an interfacial interaction and could be a significant source of organic compound influx to natural waters due to the extremely abundant occurrence of microplastics and their large surface areas.
More Papers Like This
Influence of chemical aging processes on releasing organic products from microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how chemical aging processes, including UV exposure and oxidation, affect the release of organic compounds from microplastic particles. The results showed that weathered microplastics release different and sometimes more abundant chemical products than pristine particles, increasing their chemical hazard in the environment.
pH-Responsive leaching profiles from photodegradation of microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers systematically examined how UV photodegradation of microplastics triggers pH-dependent release of chemical additives, non-intentionally added substances, and oligomers under controlled degradation conditions, characterising leaching profiles across a range of plastic polymer types. The study identified that pH strongly governs which hazardous compounds leach from degrading plastics and at what concentrations, revealing a mechanism by which environmental conditions modulate chemical risk from microplastic pollution.
UV weathering alters toxicity and chemical composition of consumer plastic leachates
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how UV weathering changes the toxicity and chemical makeup of leachates from eight types of consumer plastic products. They found that UV exposure increased cytotoxicity up to 13-fold, particularly for polyethylene leachates, and enhanced reactive toxicity by up to 82%. The increased toxicity was primarily linked to the release and transformation of organic chemicals rather than the microplastic particles themselves, highlighting UV weathering as a critical driver of plastic pollution hazards.
Progress on the photo aging mechanism of microplastics and related impact factors in water environment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined the photo-aging mechanisms of microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that solar UV radiation drives oxidation reactions that alter surface chemistry, fragment particles further, and enhance their capacity to adsorb and release co-occurring pollutants.
Influence of a suite of environmentally relevant conditions on PBT leaching from, and sorption to, marine microplastic debris
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how environmental conditions such as UV exposure, weathering, and saltwater affect the ability of marine microplastics to absorb or release persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals, finding that the type of plastic and its weathering history significantly influence how much chemical contamination it carries into the marine food web.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.