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Sorption and leaching behaviors between aged MPs and BPA in water: The role of BPA binding modes within plastic matrix
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Researchers compared how UV-oxidation aging affects microplastic structure and BPA sorption in LDPE (where BPA is an additive) versus polycarbonate (where BPA is a monomer), finding that aged LDPE showed stronger BPA re-adsorption while aged PC leached more BPA monomer.
Due to the hydrophobicity and large specific surface area microplastics (MPs) have become the vector for the migration of environmental organic pollutants. Environmental aging process affects the physiochemical structure of MPs and their corresponding environmental behaviors, in which the effect of bisphenol A (BPA) binding mode within plastic matrix on aging behaviors of MPs is not reported. In this work, the structural properties and BPA sorption behaviors of low density polyethylene (LDPE) MPs with BPA additives and polycarbonate (PC) MPs with BPA monomers exposed to three types of artificial accelerated aging processes including UV/HO, UV/HO, and UV/Cl systems were comparatively investigated. Virgin LDPE and PC exhibited obvious leakage of BPA additives or monomers. Aged LDPE had stronger sorption ability towards BPA in water environment with no observed leakage of BPA additives. While, aged PC had extremely high leakage of BPA monomers, which is similar to virgin PCs and was proved to be a persistent source of BPA release. The BPA sorption on aged LDPE or leaching from aged PC was influenced by aging processes, water pH, salinity, co-existing estradiol (E2), and water sources. This study reveals the potential ecological and environmental risks of MPs containing toxic additives/monomers during aging processes from a new perspective.
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Researchers tested how environmental aging changes the ability of three types of microplastics (LDPE, PET, and uPVC) to absorb ten different organic contaminants from water, including pharmaceuticals and pesticides. Aged microplastics showed different sorption behavior compared to new plastics, which has important implications for how weathered plastic particles in wastewater or the environment carry and transport toxic chemicals.
Adsorption/desorption behavior of degradable polylactic acid microplastics on bisphenol A under different aging conditions
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Bisphenol A sorption on commercial polyvinyl chloride microplastics: Effects of UV-aging, biofilm colonization and additives on plastic behaviour in the environment.
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Researchers studied how UV aging and biofilm growth affect the ability of commercial PVC microplastics to adsorb and release bisphenol A, an endocrine-disrupting chemical. The study found that UV exposure and biofilm colonization generally increased adsorption capacity, but the effect varied depending on the plastic's additive composition, suggesting that commercial additives play an underappreciated role in how microplastics transport pollutants in the environment.
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