0
Article Tier 2 Environmental Sources Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

Weathering of microplastics and their enhancement on the retention of cadmium in coastal soil saturated with seawater

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2022 15 citations

No summary available — this paper's abstract is not included in the open metadata provided by the publisher. Learn why →

Study Type Environmental

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Polypropylene microplastics alter the cadmium adsorption capacity on different soil solid fractions

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers found that polypropylene microplastics reduce soil's ability to bind the toxic heavy metal cadmium, with the effect varying by soil composition and microplastic aging — suggesting that microplastic contamination could indirectly increase the risk of heavy metals leaching into groundwater.

Article Tier 2

Enhanced Adsorption of Cadmium onto Microplastics Derived from Polyethylene Mulching Film by Weathering

AI summary Read the abstract

Weathered polyethylene microplastics from agricultural mulch film showed more than four times greater adsorption capacity for cadmium ions compared to pristine particles, driven by increased surface roughness and oxygen-containing functional groups that develop during environmental aging. Because weathered microplastics are far more common in real environments than pristine particles, this finding significantly elevates the estimated risk of microplastics acting as vectors for heavy metal transport in contaminated soils and water.

Article Tier 2

Interactive behavior of cadmium ions onto polyethylene microplastics in aquatic system

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastics absorb and release cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in freshwater conditions, finding that acidic environments can cause near-complete release of cadmium back into the water. This raises concern that microplastics carrying heavy metals could deliver those toxins to aquatic organisms through their digestive systems.

Article Tier 2

Polylactic acid microplastics and polyhydroxyalkanoate microplastics affect cadmium mobility by regulating sediment geochemical properties

AI summary Read the abstract

A 60-day sediment incubation study showed that biodegradable microplastics (PLA and PHA) lowered sediment pH and organic matter content, shifting cadmium into more mobile acid-soluble chemical forms and increasing its bioavailability—with smaller particle sizes and higher concentrations having the greatest effect. The finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are environmentally safe, revealing that even these alternatives can amplify heavy metal toxicity in contaminated sediments and pose compounded risks to aquatic life and food safety.

Article Tier 2

Relevance of dissolved organic matter components on the adsorption behaviors of cadmium onto non-biodegradable and biodegradable microplastics in an agricultural soil

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers found that microplastics in agricultural soil — both conventional and biodegradable types — reduce the soil's ability to bind cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, largely by altering organic matter that controls metal mobility. This suggests microplastic contamination could increase cadmium availability in farmland, raising potential food safety concerns.

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.

Email me about

Share this paper