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Probing the aging processes and mechanisms of microplastic under simulated multiple actions generated by discharge plasma
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Plasma oxidation was used to accelerate weathering of PVC microplastics, producing particles with more oxygen-containing functional groups, smaller size, larger surface area, and greater hydrophilicity than unweathered samples. Aged PVC microplastics showed enhanced adsorption of the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A and caused greater toxicity to algae, suggesting that environmental weathering amplifies microplastic hazard.
Microplastics (MPs) are becoming one class of pollutants with high global concerns. Information regarding aging behaviors of MPs in complicated natural conditions is still lacking due to the very slow aging processes. In this study, discharge plasma oxidation was applied to simulate the various radical oxidation and physical effects naturally occurring in the environment to shed light on the aging behaviors and mechanisms of MPs, with polyvinyl chloride microplastic (PVC-MP) as a model. The surface morphology, particle size, specific surface area, crystallinity, and chemical compositions of PVC-MP were comprehensively characterized as a result of aging. The aging degree indicated by carbonyl index and oxygen-to-carbon ratio increased with the plasma oxidation intensity and duration. The aged PVC-MP was characterized as more O-containing functional groups, smaller particle size, larger specific surface area, higher hydrophilicity, and higher crystallinity. Consequently, the aged PVC-MP provided more sites for adsorption of tetrabromobisphenol (TBBPA) in solutions by forming hydrogen-bonds, and electrostatic force. The changes in the properties of the aged PVC-MP, and the strong adsorption with TBBPA led to unexpected synergistic toxic effects to Scenedesmus obliquus. The results provide direct evidences of aging processes of MPs and the potential environmental risks due to aging in the environment.
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