We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Exploring the toxicity of the aged styrene-butadiene rubber microplastics to petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria under compound pollution system
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers explored how aging affects the toxicity of styrene-butadiene rubber microplastics toward petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, finding that aged microplastics had different physical and chemical properties that altered bacterial degradation capacity.
As a new pollutant, microplastics have increasingly drawn public attention to its toxic behavior in the environment. The aim was to investigate the effect of styrene-butadiene-rubber microplastics (mSBR) with different degrees of aging on petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) degrading bacteria in an environment with simultaneously existing pollutants. A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the changes in the physical and chemical properties of mSBR with aging and to examine the influence of these changes on the inhibition of PHC-degrading bacteria by mSBR in the vicinity of coexisting pollutants. The results showed that in the early stage of ultraviolet aging (10d), the particle surface shows wrinkles, but the structure is intact. After reaching the late stage of aging (20d), nano-scale fragments were generated on the surface of mSBR, the average particle size decreased from 3.074 µm to 2.297 µm, and the zeta potential increased from - 25.1 mV to - 33.1 mV. The inhibitory effect of bacteria is greater. At the same time, these changes in the physicochemical properties increase the adsorption effect of Cd by 20%, and also improve the stability of mSBR in solution, whereby bacterial growth is inhibited by inhibiting the LPO activity and protein concentration of PHC degrading bacteria.
More Papers Like This
Sorption behaviors of petroleum on micro-sized polyethylene aging for different time in seawater
AI summary Read the abstract
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 processes of wastewater contaminants on virgin and aged polystyrene microplastics: physicochemical changes and cellular toxicity assessment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed 1 µm polystyrene microplastics (virgin and thermo-oxidation aged) to wastewater and then assessed their adsorption behaviour and cytotoxicity. Aged MPs adsorbed more contaminants from wastewater and showed greater cytotoxicity to human cells than virgin MPs, demonstrating that environmental ageing amplifies the health risks of microplastics.
Sorption of organic compounds by aged polystyrene microplastic particles
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Adsorption of some hazardous aromatic hydrocarbons by various pristine and heat-activated aged microplastics as potential pollutant carriers in aquatic environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how pristine and heat-aged microplastics of four polymer types adsorb hazardous aromatic hydrocarbons, finding that aging significantly altered adsorption capacity. The results demonstrate that weathered microplastics may act as more effective pollutant vectors than pristine particles in aquatic environments.
UV-B radiation aging changed the environmental behavior of polystyrene micro-/nanoplastics-adsorption kinetics of BDE-47, plankton toxicities and joint toxicities with BDE-47
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how UV-B radiation aging changes the behavior and toxicity of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in marine environments. They found that 30 days of UV-B aging increased the surface roughness, hydrophobicity, and pollutant adsorption capacity of the particles, while also increasing their individual toxicity to marine plankton. The study suggests that environmentally aged microplastics may pose different and potentially greater ecological risks than pristine particles.
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.