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Effects of photoaged polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics on the extracellular aggregation and intracellular accumulation of ZnO nanoparticles to algae
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When microplastics weather in the environment under UV sunlight, they become more chemically reactive and change how they interact with other pollutants. This study found that photoaged polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics had a stronger ability to bind zinc oxide nanoparticles than fresh plastic, and that this enhanced binding altered how the zinc nanoparticles affected green algae — generally reducing zinc uptake into algal cells but increasing overall ecological risk. The findings highlight that the environmental "aging" of microplastics is not merely cosmetic — it fundamentally changes their behavior as carriers of other toxic substances in aquatic ecosystems.
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) can alter the behavior of co-existing pollutants in aquatic environments through their interactions. However, limited information was available on how the interactions between photoaged MPs/NPs and nanoparticles affect the extracellular aggregation and intracellular accumulation of nanoparticles and their associated ecological risk. Here, we investigated the effects of interactions between photoaged polystyrene MPs and NPs (aged PS MPs/NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnO) on the green alga Chlorella vulgaris. Results proved that the adsorption of nano-ZnO on aged PS MPs/NPs, particularly aged PS NPs, via electrostatic force and hydrogen bonds was enhanced compared to that on pristine PS MPs/NPs. Molecular dynamic simulations confirmed stronger electrostatic force and van der Waals force between nano-ZnO and aged PS MPs/NPs. Furthermore, the binding affinity dissociation constant of nano-ZnO to the algal cells (32.4 and 45.0 µmol/L) in the presence of aged PS MPs/NPs was significantly higher than that of pristine PS MPs/NPs (24.0 and 7.0 µmol/L). The enhanced extracellular aggregation of nano-ZnO by aged PS MPs/NPs inhibited the Zn intracellular accumulation in algal cells. Nevertheless, this inhibitory effect was relatively weak for PS NPs due to their internalization carrying nano-ZnO into the algal cells. Despite the reduction of Zn intracellular accumulation, aged PS MPs/NPs still increased the ecological risk of nano-ZnO to aquatic organisms from medium to high risk through aggregation. These findings provide deeper insights into the environmental behavior and ecological risk of aged MPs/NPs.
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Photochemical Aging Triggers Zn(II) Mobilization and Toxicity in Metallopolymer Microplastics to the Green Macroalga Ulva
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Sunlight exposure makes zinc-containing microplastics break down and leak harmful chemicals, and this study found that the "aged" plastic was more toxic to marine algae than fresh plastic — even more toxic than the zinc alone, meaning other released chemicals are adding to the harm. This matters because microplastics don't just sit unchanged in the ocean; sunlight actively transforms them into something more dangerous over time, which could affect marine food chains that humans depend on.
Retention of ZnO nanoparticles onto polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics: Aging-associated interactions and the role of aqueous chemistry
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Researchers investigated how zinc oxide nanoparticles attach to polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics under different water chemistry conditions. They found that UV-aged microplastics retained significantly more nanoparticles than fresh ones, and water pH and natural organic matter influenced the interaction. The study suggests that weathered microplastics in the environment are more effective at carrying metal contaminants, potentially increasing ecological risks.
Zinc oxide nanoparticles dissolution and toxicity enhancement by polystyrene microplastics under sunlight irradiation
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Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics dramatically increased the sunlight-induced dissolution of zinc oxide nanoparticles, enhancing the release of toxic zinc ions and reactive oxygen species in aquatic environments.
Unraveling the adsorption behavior of Zn(II) on UV-aged PET and PP microplastics: kinetic and isotherm analyses
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This study examined how UV aging changes the ability of PET and polypropylene microplastics to adsorb zinc from water. Researchers found that UV exposure over 30 days increased surface roughness and oxygen-containing functional groups on the plastics, significantly enhancing their capacity to bind zinc ions, which suggests that weathered microplastics in the environment may carry higher concentrations of heavy metals.
Insights into the Photoaging Behavior of Microplastics: Environmental Fate and Ecological Risk
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This review examines how sunlight ages microplastics in the environment, breaking them into smaller pieces and changing their surface chemistry in ways that make them more toxic and more likely to carry other pollutants. Sun-aged microplastics release dissolved organic matter that can harm aquatic life, and their roughened surfaces attract more bacteria and chemical contaminants. Since most microplastics in nature have been exposed to sunlight, their real-world health risks may be higher than studies using fresh lab plastics suggest.
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