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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Biosorption of uranium from water on polymethylmethacrylate microplastic immobilized with Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a sustainable approach
ClearPolyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics as radionuclide (U-232) carriers: Surface alteration matters the most
Researchers investigated how surface alteration of PET microplastics affects their ability to carry radioactive uranium-232. The study found that biofilm formation on PET surfaces dramatically increased radionuclide adsorption efficiency compared to pristine plastic, suggesting that environmentally weathered microplastics may play a more significant role in transporting radioactive contaminants through aquatic systems.
Radionuclide Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using Oxidized Carbon Fabrics
This paper is not directly about microplastics; it investigates the adsorption of radioactive actinide ions (americium and uranium) from water using carbon fabric materials, finding near-complete removal of uranium under optimal pH and temperature conditions.
The interaction of two emerging pollutants, radionuclides and microplastics: In-depth thermodynamic studies in water, seawater, and wastewater
Laboratory experiments measured how polyurethane and polylactic acid microplastics adsorb radioactive uranium and americium from water under conditions mimicking seawater and wastewater. The results show that microplastics can accumulate radionuclides from contaminated water environments, raising the possibility that plastic particles could act as unexpected carriers of radioactive contamination through aquatic food webs.
Uranium accumulation in environmentally relevant microplastics and agricultural soil at acidic and circumneutral pH
Researchers examined how uranium interacts with high-density polyethylene microplastics and agricultural soil at different pH levels. The study found that while soil rapidly removed most aqueous uranium, microplastics accumulated measurable amounts of uranium over time, raising concerns about microplastics acting as carriers for radioactive contaminants in the environment.
Microplastics and disposable face masks as “Trojan Horse” for radionuclides pollution in water bodies – A review with emphasis on the involved interactions
Researchers reviewed how microplastics and disposable face masks can adsorb radioactive particles (radionuclides like cesium-137 and uranium) and carry them through water environments, potentially concentrating radiation in the food chain. Key factors affecting this process include plastic type, particle size, and water chemistry, with some polymers showing adsorption partition coefficients as high as 2670 L/kg.
Biofilm-enhanced adsorption of strong and weak cations onto different microplastic sample types: Use of spectroscopy, microscopy and radiotracer methods
Researchers used radiotracer, spectroscopy, and microscopy methods to show that biofilm-coated environmental plastics adsorb radioactive cesium and strontium — radionuclides associated with nuclear releases — though at rates much lower than natural sediments, confirming that plastics act as a minor but measurable sink for environmental radioactivity.
Comparative Study of the U(VI) Adsorption by Hybrid Silica-Hyperbranched Poly(ethylene imine) Nanoparticles and Xerogels
This paper is not about microplastics; it compares silica-based nanoparticle and xerogel adsorbents for removing uranium from contaminated water, finding both materials have high sorption capacity for purification applications.
Interfacial Interactions of Uranium and Arsenic with Microplastics: From Field Detection to Controlled Laboratory Tests
Researchers detected microplastics in freshwater bodies across New Mexico and then tested in the lab whether common plastic types adsorb uranium and arsenic from water. While arsenic showed no affinity for any plastic tested, uranium at neutral pH readily precipitated onto plastic surfaces, forming mineral crusts. This means microplastics in mining-affected waterways could complicate metal contamination by creating new hotspots of radioactive and toxic material that are difficult to predict and remove.
Americium Sorption by Microplastics in Aqueous Solutions
Researchers investigated americium sorption by polyamide and polyethylene microplastics in both deionized water and seawater, tracing interactions with Am-241 isotope and examining the effects of pH and solution composition on sorption efficiency over time. The study found that microplastic type and aqueous matrix composition significantly influenced radionuclide uptake, with implications for the transport of radioactive contaminants in marine environments.
A Preliminary Study on the “Hitchhiking” of Radionuclides on Microplastics: A New Threat to the Marine Environment from Compound Pollution
This preliminary study examined whether radionuclides can adsorb onto microplastic surfaces and be transported through the environment alongside them, identifying the physicochemical properties of microplastics that facilitate radionuclide hitchhiking and the associated contamination risks.
Initial data on adsorption of Cs and Sr to the surfaces of microplastics with biofilm
Researchers measured adsorption of radiocesium and radiostrontium onto weathered microplastics deployed in freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments, finding that distribution coefficients were approximately two to three orders of magnitude lower than for sediment reference values. Despite the lower adsorption, the buoyancy and mobility of plastics suggest they may still function as a significant radionuclide reservoir in aquatic systems.
PET plastics as a Trojan horse for radionuclides
Researchers discovered that PET plastic bottles collected near a phosphate fertilizer plant had accumulated natural and artificial radionuclides, demonstrating that littered plastics can act as carriers for radioactive contaminants and pose potential health risks.
A new approach to extracting biofilm from environmental plastics using ultrasound-assisted syringe treatment for isotopic analyses
Researchers developed an ultrasound-assisted syringe extraction method for recovering biofilms from environmental plastic debris, enabling stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis and radiocesium quantification, and found that river-mouth plastisphere biofilms in Japan carried up to 820 Bq/kg of radiocesium, demonstrating that plastic-associated biofilms can serve as vectors for radionuclide transport in coastal environments.
The effect of temperature on the U-232 and Am-241 adsorption by PN6 microplastics in aqueous solutions.
Researchers investigated the effect of temperature on the adsorption of uranium-232 and americium-241 by polyamide-6 (PN6) microplastics in aqueous solutions, including seawater and wastewater, at picomolar concentrations. The study found that temperature significantly influences radionuclide uptake by microplastics, with implications for the transport and fate of radioactive contaminants in aquatic environments.
Unfolding the interaction of radioactive Cs and Sr with polyethylene-derived microplastics in marine environment
A mesocosm study examined how radioactive cesium and strontium interact with pristine, radiation-exposed, and marine-weathered polyethylene microplastics, finding that environmental aging—through biofilm formation and surface roughening—significantly increased the plastic particles' capacity to sorb radioactive contaminants.
The Interaction of Two Emerging Pollutants, Radionuclides and Microplastics: In-Depth Thermodynamic Studies in Water, Seawater, and Wastewater
This study examined how two radioactive isotopes — uranium-232 and americium-241 — interact with polyurethane and polylactic acid microplastics in freshwater, seawater, and wastewater under varying pH and temperature conditions. Microplastics were found to adsorb both radionuclides, with temperature and pH strongly influencing the binding, though natural water chemistry reduced adsorption efficiency significantly. The findings raise concern that microplastics in nuclear-adjacent or contaminated water bodies could act as carriers, concentrating and potentially transporting radioactive pollutants through aquatic systems.
Microplastics as vectors of radioiodine in the marine environment: A study on sorption and interaction mechanism
Researchers investigated microplastics as potential vectors of radioiodine in the marine environment, finding that different polymer types exhibited varying sorption capacities for radioiodine, revealing a previously unstudied pathway for radionuclide transport.
Cesium removal from radioactive wastewater by adsorption and membrane technology
This review covers adsorption and membrane technologies for removing radioactive cesium from contaminated wastewater, comparing the effectiveness of various materials and filtration methods. While not directly about microplastics, the study discusses how emerging nanomaterials and membrane systems used for radioactive waste treatment overlap with technologies being developed for microplastic removal. The findings highlight advances in water purification that may have broader applications for filtering multiple types of pollutants.
Marine microplastics fuel long-range transport of radioactive nuclides: A review
This review examines how marine microplastics adsorb radioactive nuclides and transport them over long distances, discussing the implications of plastic-facilitated radionuclide dispersal for ocean monitoring and the compounding environmental risks from co-occurring plastic and nuclear contamination.
Unfolding the interaction of radioactive Cs and Sr with polyethylene-derived microplastics in marine environment
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics in the marine environment interact with radioactive cesium and strontium. They found that as microplastics age in seawater and develop biofilms, their ability to absorb these radioactive elements increases significantly. The study provides evidence that microplastics could act as previously unrecognized carriers of radioactive contamination in ocean environments.
An Innovative Sorption Technology for Removing Microplastics from Wastewater
This study developed a sorption-based technology for removing microplastics from wastewater using inexpensive natural materials, demonstrating high removal efficiency suitable for deployment as a tertiary treatment stage at wastewater treatment plants or for treating process and surface water.
Sorption Behavior, Speciation, and Toxicity of Microplastic-Bound Chromium in Multisolute Systems
Researchers investigated how UV filters affect chromium sorption and toxicity on polystyrene microplastics, finding that UV irradiation and co-contaminants alter metal speciation and increase the ecological risk of microplastic-bound heavy metals.
An effective method to assess the sorption dynamics of PCB radiotracers onto plastic and sediment microparticles
Scientists developed a radiotracer method using PCB isotopes to precisely measure how quickly toxic chemicals sorb onto microplastics and sediment particles in seawater. Understanding sorption-desorption rates is critical for predicting how much toxic chemical exposure marine organisms receive from microplastic ingestion.
Influence of Enriched Urease Producing Bacteria from Leachate and Restaurant Wastewater on Heavy Metal Removal
This paper is not directly about microplastics; it investigates bacteria from leachate and restaurant wastewater that produce urease enzymes capable of immobilizing heavy metals through a process called microbially induced carbonate precipitation, with applications in bioremediation.