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Significance of Chlorinated Phenols Adsorption on Plastics and Bioplastics during Water Treatment
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Microplastics and bioplastics both adsorb toxic chlorinated phenol compounds from freshwater, with adsorption rates depending on the plastic type and contaminant. This finding shows that even bioplastic alternatives to conventional plastic can act as carriers for toxic chemicals in aquatic environments.
Microplastics and chlorinated phenols (CPs) are pollutants found ubiquitously in freshwater systems. Meanwhile, bioplastics are attracting much attention as alternatives to conventional plastics, but there is little data about their effect on the behaviour of pollutants. This work therefore investigates the sorption of four CPs (4-chlorophenol—4-CP, 2,4-dichlorophenol—2,4-DCP, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol—2,4,6-TCP and pentachlorophenol—PCP) on three different plastics (polyethylene (PЕg), polypropylene (PP) and polylactic acid (PLA)) using kinetics and isotherm studies. All experiments were carried out in a synthetic water matrix and in spiked Danube river water. In all cases, adsorption kinetics fitted well with the pseudo-second order rate model. Adsorption proceeded through two linear phases, corresponding to transport from the bulk solution to the external surfaces and then into the interior pores of the sorbents. Maximum adsorption capacities calculated with the Langmuir isotherm indicated that whereas adsorption of 4-CP was not significantly affected by the type of plastic present, the adsorption of 2,4-DCP, 2,4,6-TCP and PCP varied greatly, with polypropylene showing the greatest affinity for CPs adsorption. The differences observed between the adsorption behaviour of CPs in the synthetic and natural water matrices suggest further investigation is required into how the different fractions of natural organic matter impact interactions between CPs and plastics.
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Sorption Behavior of Organic Pollutants on Biodegradable and Nondegradable Microplastics: pH Effects
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This study tested how water pH affects the adsorption of chlorinated phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and halogenated benzenes onto seven types of microplastics — including biodegradable bioplastics. At neutral pH (7), microplastics bound chlorinated phenols most strongly, while PAH and halogenated benzene adsorption was pH-independent. The findings matter because they show that even biodegradable plastic alternatives can carry toxic co-contaminants in freshwater systems, complicating the environmental safety case for bioplastics.
A Comparative Sorption Study for Phenol & Tricholorophenol onto Polyethylene Type Microplastics
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Researchers compared how phenol and 2,3,6-trichlorophenol sorb onto polyethylene microplastics, finding that the more hydrophobic chlorinated compound had significantly higher affinity for the plastic surface. The study contributes to understanding how microplastics may transport and concentrate organic pollutants in freshwater environments.
Modelling of the adsorption of chlorinated phenols on polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastic
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This study modeled how chlorinated phenols — toxic water pollutants — stick to polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics sourced from personal care products. The findings suggest microplastics can act as carriers for harmful chemicals in aquatic environments, potentially concentrating toxins and delivering them to organisms that ingest the particles.
Prediction of organic compounds adsorbed by polyethylene and chlorinated polyethylene microplastics in freshwater using QSAR
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Researchers used QSAR modeling to predict the adsorption behavior of 13 organic compounds onto polyethylene and chlorinated polyethylene microplastics under freshwater conditions, finding that most chemicals exhibited higher adsorption to chlorinated polyethylene than to standard polyethylene.
Revealing the Key Impact of Microplastic-Derived Dissolved Organic Matter Properties on Aromatic Pollutant Adsorption and the Underlying Mechanisms
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Researchers examined how dissolved organic matter released from different types of microplastics affects the adsorption of aromatic pollutants like bisphenol A and naphthalene. The study found that microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter substantially suppressed the ability of treatment materials to capture these pollutants, revealing an underappreciated way that microplastic degradation products can worsen water contamination.
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