We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Strong sorption of two fungicides onto biodegradable microplastics with emphasis on the negligible role of environmental factors
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found strong sorption of two fungicides onto biodegradable microplastics, with partition coefficients largely unaffected by environmental variables such as pH, ionic strength, and temperature, suggesting that biodegradable plastic alternatives may still facilitate pesticide transport in agricultural and aquatic environments.
Microplastics have attracted much attention in recent years because they are able to interact with other pollutants including pesticides, with implications for the potential risks to biota. However, the sorption behavior of pesticides on microplastics, especially on biodegradable microplastics which are promising alternatives to conventional polymers, has been insufficiently studied. In this study, triadimefon and difenoconazole were selected as model triazole fungicides, and their sorption behavior on a typical biodegradable microplastics (PBS: polybutylene succinate) and two conventional polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics was investigated with batch experiments in an aqueous solution. PBS presented the highest sorption capacity for triadimefon (104.2 ± 4.8 μg g) and difenoconazole (192.8 ± 2.3 μg g), which was 1.8- and 1.3-fold that on PE and 4.4- and 7.4-fold that of PVC, respectively. The results of sorption kinetic and isotherm modeling were better fit by a pseudo-second order model and linear model, respectively. More importantly, the effects of environmental factors (pH, salinity and dissolved organic matter) on the sorption behavior were investigated. Fungicide sorption on PBS was generally not affected by salinity, pH or dissolved organic matter. However, in contrast, salinity and dissolved organic matter both significantly decreased sorption on PE and PVC. The results showed that not only the sorption capacities of biodegradable microplastics but also their responses to environmental factors are quite different from those of conventional microplastics. This finding highlights the importance of the role played by biodegradable microplastics in the accumulation and transportation of organic pollutants.
More Papers Like This
Adsorption of azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin onto degradable and non-degradable microplastics: Performance and mechanism
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how two common fungicide pesticides attach to both biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil environments. They found that non-degradable microplastics absorbed more pesticide and released it more slowly than biodegradable alternatives. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil may act as reservoirs for pesticides, potentially prolonging their environmental presence and ecological impact.
Adsorption behavior of azole fungicides on polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics adsorb azole fungicides commonly used in agriculture. The study found that smaller microplastic particle sizes led to stronger adsorption capacity, and factors like pH, ionic strength, and the presence of organic acids all influenced how readily pesticides bind to microplastic surfaces.
Distinct interferences of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on adsorption of pesticide mixture in agricultural soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how conventional and biodegradable microplastics alter pesticide adsorption dynamics in agricultural soils, finding that the surface properties of microplastics — particularly their affinity coefficients — were the dominant factor governing pesticide fate, introducing significant complexity and uncertainty into predictions of pesticide environmental risk.
Adsorption behavior of three triazole fungicides on polystyrene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how three commonly used triazole fungicides adsorb onto polystyrene microplastics under various environmental conditions. They found that smaller microplastic particles adsorbed greater quantities of fungicides, and that environmental factors like pH and salinity significantly influenced adsorption capacity. The findings suggest that microplastics in agricultural environments could act as carriers for pesticide residues, potentially altering their environmental fate and bioavailability.
Sorption of pesticides onto polyethylene microplastics in different aqueous matrices
AI summary Read the abstract
This thesis examined how pesticides adsorb onto polyethylene microplastics in different aqueous matrices, finding that water chemistry significantly affects the binding behavior and potential for microplastics to carry agricultural chemicals.
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.