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DarkReduction of Hg(II) by Dissolved Organic MatterDerived from Aging Microplastics: Mechanisms and Implications
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Researchers investigated dark reduction of mercury (Hg(II)) by dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from aging polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polylactic acid microplastics under simulated environmental conditions, revealing that microplastic-derived DOM can mediate Hg(II) transformation through its strong reducing and complexing properties.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a critical role in the environmental cycling and transformation of mercury (Hg), primarily due to its strong reducing and complexing properties toward mercuric Hg(II). Microplastics-derived DOM (MPs-DOM), particularly that released during photoaging, represents an emerging source of DOM in aquatic environments. However, its capacity to mediate Hg(II) transformation remains largely unexplored. This study investigated dark reduction of Hg(II) by DOM released from aging polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polylactic acid under simulated environmental conditions. The results show that, under dark conditions, DOM from photoaged MPs suspensions reduced over 30% of Hg(II) within 10 min, whereas DOM from dark-aged MPs suspensions exhibited negligible Hg(II) reduction activity. Further analyses showed that photoaging enhanced the electron-donating capacity of MPs-DOM by increasing phenol-like compounds, which promoted Hg(II) reduction via electron transfer through phenolic hydroxyl groups. Notably, MPs-DOM released during photoaging outperformed the Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM) in reducing Hg(II), likely due to compositional differences in Hg(II)-complexing functional groups. When mixed together, elevated concentrations of MPs-DOM dominated over SRNOM, favoring Hg(II) reduction as the primary pathway. Given the growing prevalence of MPs-DOM in aquatic ecosystems and the persistence of dark reactions in light-limited environments, this study underscores the significant role of MPs-DOM in promoting dark Hg(II) reduction, highlighting a previously underrecognized pathway affecting Hg cycling.
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Dark Reduction of Hg(II) by Dissolved Organic Matter Derived from Aging Microplastics: Mechanisms and Implications
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Researchers discovered that dissolved organic matter released from photoaged microplastics can convert toxic mercury into a less reactive form through dark chemical reactions. The organic matter from aged polystyrene, PVC, and polylactic acid reduced over 30% of mercury within 10 minutes, outperforming natural river organic matter. The findings suggest that as microplastic pollution increases in waterways, it may significantly alter mercury cycling in aquatic environments.
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Aged microplastic particles significantly inhibited the photoreduction of mercury from Hg(II) to Hg(0) in water by adsorbing available mercury, while dissolved organic matter leached from aged microplastics had the opposite effect, promoting photoreduction by up to 53% compared to controls.
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Researchers studied how four types of aged microplastics adsorb and release mercury in seawater and how they affect the production of gaseous elemental mercury. They found that photoaging significantly increased the microplastics' capacity to bind mercury due to surface changes like increased roughness and oxygen-containing groups. The study suggests that weathered microplastics in the ocean may alter mercury cycling, potentially affecting how this toxic metal moves through marine environments.
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