We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Adsorption behavior of aged polybutylece terephthalate microplastics coexisting with Cd(II)-tetracycline
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how aged polybutylene terephthalate microplastics interact with cadmium and the antibiotic tetracycline in water, finding that weathered microplastics adsorb these pollutants more readily than pristine ones. The study suggests that aging changes the surface properties of microplastics, increasing their capacity to carry heavy metals and antibiotics and potentially amplifying their environmental toxicity.
Microplastics (MPs) are one of the emerging classes of pollutants that can be infiltrated into any aqueous solutions from disposed toxic metals and antibiotics, further exacerbating the potential biotoxicity of MPs. However, the research on the interaction between MPs and various pollutants is limited. Therefore, in this study, the changes in toxicity of polybutylece terephthalate (PBT) MPs were assessed following adsorption of heavy metals and antibiotics. The adsorption behavior of Cd(II) and tetracycline (TC) on ultraviolet (UV) light-aged PBT was investigated. The results demonstrated that the Cd(II) adsorption behavior could be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isothermal models, while the TC adsorption behavior has well fitted using Elovich and Sips models. The whole adsorption process occurred via either external diffusion or internal diffusion. The interactions between aged PBT and pollutants were evaluated under different environmental conditions, such as solution pH and the concentrations of dissolved organic matter and cations. The amounts of Cd(II) and TC adsorbed were higher in the competitive systems than the single solution, which might attribute to the formation of Cd(II)-TC complexes and aged PBT functional group changes. The results of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) describes the sequence of functional group transformation during the uptake of Cd(II)-TC by aged PBT in binary systems. These findings identify a strong interaction between aged PBT and contaminants, establishing the potential fate of aged MPs under natural aquatic environment conditions.
More Papers Like This
UV and chemical aging alter the adsorption behavior of microplastics for tetracycline
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that UV and chemical aging significantly increased microplastics' capacity to adsorb tetracycline, with biodegradable PBAT showing more dramatic changes in surface properties and adsorption behavior compared to conventional plastics like polystyrene and polyethylene.
Aging properties of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics and their adsorption behavior of Cd(II) and Cr(VI) in aquatic environments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared how polyethylene and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics age in the environment and how that aging affects their ability to absorb heavy metals like cadmium and chromium from water. They found that aging changed the surface chemistry of both plastic types, increasing their capacity to pick up these toxic metals. The findings matter because aged microplastics in the environment may concentrate and transport more pollutants than fresh plastic particles.
Impact of sequential UV-aging of microplastics on the fate of antibiotic (tetracycline) in riverine, estuarine, and marine systems
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how sequential UV aging of polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene microplastics, which mimics natural weathering, affects their ability to adsorb the antibiotic tetracycline under different water chemistry conditions. They found that aged microplastics adsorbed significantly more tetracycline than pristine particles, with the effect varying by water type and plastic polymer. The study suggests that as microplastics weather in the environment, they may become increasingly effective at carrying antibiotic contaminants.
Behavior and mechanisms of ciprofloxacin adsorption on aged Polylactic Acid and Polyethylene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how aged polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene (PE) microplastics absorb the antibiotic ciprofloxacin in water. Aging changes the surface chemistry of microplastics, affecting how they pick up and carry antibiotics — which could deliver higher doses of these drugs to organisms that ingest the particles.
Quantitative assessment of interactions of hydrophilic organic contaminants with microplastics in natural water environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers quantified how microplastics interact with common antibiotic pollutants in natural water conditions, comparing virgin and environmentally aged polystyrene particles. They found that aged microplastics absorbed significantly more antibiotics than new ones due to increased surface area and chemical changes from weathering. The study suggests that as microplastics age in the environment, they become more effective at concentrating and transporting other harmful pollutants.
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.