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Assessing the effects of polyethylene microplastic aging on the sorption of pyrene via simulated sunlight irradiation
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Researchers aged high-density polyethylene microplastics under simulated sunlight and measured pyrene sorption before and after, finding that aging enhanced sorption capacity in proportion to irradiation time. The physical changes including surface cracking and increased roughness were the main mechanism, as destructive chemical oxidation was not observed.
The sorption and transport of environmental pollutants with microplastics (MPs) is a growing environmental concern due to the increased use and emissions of MPs and their high affinity toward many organic contaminants. This study examines the impacts of environmental aging of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) via sunlight irradiation on its molecular interactions with pyrene, a model hydrophobic organic pollutant. HDPE MPs were artificially aged under simulated sunlight irradiation for different exposure times. During aging treatments with simulated sunlight irradiation, morphological changes, such as cracks and rough surfaces, were induced on the HDPE particles; however, destructive oxidation was not observed. Batch sorption experiments were conducted on the aged and pristine MPs. Results reveal that pyrene sorption on MPs was enhanced for the aged HDPE particles and the sorption increases with increased irradiation time, indicating that aged HDPE has a higher sorption capacity than the pristine one. These results are attributed to the physical alteration in HDPE, which increases the surface area and promotes aqueous pyrene sorption on MPs. These results provide possible mechanistic explanations for the accumulation of hydrophobic organic pollutants with MPs in aquatic environments.
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Effect of sunlight aging on physicochemical properties and sorption capacities of environmental microplastics: implications for contamination by PAHs
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Researchers studied how sunlight aging changes the physical and chemical properties of three common plastics -- polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene -- and their ability to absorb pollutants. They found that plastics exposed to outdoor sunlight for 69 days absorbed up to 3.5 times more of the carcinogenic compound pyrene compared to new plastics, likely due to surface changes from weathering. The findings suggest that older, weathered microplastics in the environment may accumulate harmful pollutants more readily than fresh plastic particles.
Simultaneous sorption behaviors of UV filters on the virgin and aged micro-high-density polyethylene under environmental conditions.
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Researchers studied how UV filter chemicals from sunscreens adsorb onto both virgin and aged high-density polyethylene microplastics. They found that aged, weathered microplastics had greater capacity to accumulate UV filter compounds than fresh plastic due to changes in surface chemistry. This suggests that environmental aging of plastics increases their ability to transport chemical contaminants.
Accelerated photoaging of microplastic - polyethylene terephthalate: physical, chemical, morphological properties and pesticide adsorption
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Researchers subjected polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics to accelerated photoaging under simulated sunlight, characterizing changes in surface chemistry, crystallinity, and mechanical properties over time. Photoaging increased surface oxidation, reduced molecular weight, and enhanced the release of plastic additives, suggesting aged PET microplastics present greater chemical hazard than pristine particles.
Sorption behaviors of petroleum on micro-sized polyethylene aging for different time in seawater
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Researchers found that aging of polyethylene microplastics in seawater over 180 days progressively increased petroleum adsorption capacity, with surface oxidation and roughening from weathering creating more binding sites for hydrocarbon contaminants.
Sorption of organic compounds by aged polystyrene microplastic particles
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Researchers tested the sorption of organic compounds by aged polystyrene microplastic particles and found that weathering increased their sorption capacity, meaning environmental aging makes microplastics more effective at accumulating and transporting pollutants.
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