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Critical effect of iron red pigment on photoaging behavior of polypropylene microplastics in artificial seawater
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This study found that iron red pigment additives in polypropylene microplastics significantly accelerated their photoaging in artificial seawater, causing surface cracking and rapid iron release. Plastic additives can dramatically alter how microplastics degrade in the environment, affecting both their physical fragmentation into nanoplastics and their chemical toxicity.
Microplastics (MPs) containing chemical additives undergo extensive aging in the environment, but the effect of additives on aging behavior of MPs is not fully understood. This study evaluated the effects of iron red pigment on the photoaging behavior of polypropylene (PP) MPs and the release kinetics of Fe(II) and Fe(III) under simulated sunlight. Based on analyses in surface property and aging products of leachate, the incorporated iron red pigment significantly decreased the photoaging rate of PP MPs. The critical effect mainly depended on the light shielding and the competition of pigment for electrons and reactive oxygen species generated from irradiated MPs. Light irradiation also caused the production of homologous series of organic products containing dicarboxylic acid end groups. Moreover, aging of pigmented MPs enhanced the release of Fe ions in leachates, and the types of released iron ions were different between dark and light conditions, where the iron ion in dark system was mainly as Fe(III), while Fe(II) was the dominant form in light irradiation, since the released Fe(III) reacted with MP-derived organic acids and reactive oxygen species in light condition. The findings highlight the critical role of inorganic pigments in the environmental fate and risk of MPs.
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Critical Impactof Colored Pigments on the Long-TermPhotoaging of Polyethylene Microplastics in Coastal Seawater Environments
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This study examined the long-term photoaging of polyethylene microplastics in coastal seawater, finding that pigment color significantly influences UV-driven surface oxidation rates and the release of additive chemicals, with darker pigments generally accelerating weathering processes.
Critical Impact of Colored Pigments on the Long-Term Photoaging of Polyethylene Microplastics in Coastal Seawater Environments
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Researchers examined how colored pigments affect the long-term photoaging of polyethylene microplastics in coastal seawater under UV irradiation, finding that pigment type significantly alters the rate and character of surface degradation and associated contaminant release.
Photo aging and fragmentation of polypropylene food packaging materials in artificial seawater
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Photo-aging and fragmentation of two common polypropylene (PP) food packaging materials with different additive contents were studied under artificial accelerated weathering. Additive composition significantly influenced the rate of photochemical aging and fragmentation into microplastic particles, with implications for how packaging design affects microplastic generation in the marine environment.
Photoaging mechanisms of microplastics mediated by dissolved organic matter in an iron-rich aquatic environment
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Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter and iron mediate the photoaging of PVC and PET microplastics, finding that humic acid and iron accelerate surface degradation and alter the environmental behavior and risks of aged microplastics.
Degradation of polyethylene microplastics in seawater: Insights into the environmental degradation of polymers
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Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics degrade in artificial seawater and found that exposure led to surface oxidation, cracking, and fragmentation over time. The study suggests that environmental degradation of microplastics in marine settings may generate progressively smaller particles, including nanoplastics, while also releasing chemical additives into surrounding waters.
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