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Photodegradation of Microplastics: Mechanism, Influencing Factors and Research Progress
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This review examines the mechanisms, influencing factors, and research progress of microplastic photodegradation, covering both direct photodegradation — where UV photons break carbon-carbon bonds in polymers like PE and PP — and indirect photodegradation mediated by photosensitisers such as humic acid. The review highlights that dissolved organic matter can substantially accelerate PS degradation in aquatic environments and discusses key variables including light wavelength, particle size, and matrix composition.
Microplastics, as pollutants that are difficult to biodegrade in the environment, are widely distributed in soil, water bodies, and the atmosphere. They form complex pollution by adsorbing heavy metals and hydrophobic organic pollutants. Photodegradation, as an environmentally friendly degradation method, has attracted much attention. Photodegradation of microplastics includes direct photodegradation and indirect photodegradation. In direct photodegradation, photons directly act on the microplastic substrate, such as PE and PP, which absorb energy in the 270-300nm ultraviolet band, causing carbon-carbon bonds to break and form free radicals, which then transform into small molecules. Indirect photodegradation, on the other hand, relies on photosensitizers such as humic acid to produce active species that trigger degradation. The degradation rate of PS in water rich in DOM can increase by 2-3 times.
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This review provides a comprehensive overview of methods for degrading microplastics, including photodegradation, thermal degradation, and biodegradation, along with the factors that influence each process. Researchers found that while several degradation approaches show promise in laboratory settings, no mature and effective method is yet available for large-scale engineering applications or natural environments. The study also discusses how degradation products of microplastics can themselves pose environmental risks.
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