Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Aging of PS/PVC by UV-Fenton reaction and their potential photodegradation driven in the goethite/haematite constructed wetlands

Researchers investigated the UV-Fenton-driven photodegradation of polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics in simulated constructed wetlands with goethite and haematite, finding that the Fenton reaction significantly accelerated weight loss (28.3% for PS and 35.6% for PVC) compared to UV alone, with hydroxyl radicals identified as the primary degradation mechanism and enhanced microbial activity observed toward polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon breakdown products.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Aging of PS/PVC by UV-Fenton reaction and their potential photodegradation driven in the goethite/haematite constructed wetlands

Researchers investigated UV-Fenton degradation of polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics in simulated wetland conditions, finding that combined UV and Fenton reactions achieved weight loss rates of 28.3% for PS and 35.6% for PVC — significantly higher than UV alone — while also stimulating microbial communities capable of degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon byproducts.

2025 Environmental Technology
Article Tier 2

Insight into the Photodegradation of Microplastics Boosted by Iron (Hydr)oxides

Iron (hydr)oxide minerals goethite and hematite were found to significantly accelerate the photodegradation of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics under simulated sunlight, with goethite showing greater effect due to higher hydroxyl radical production via a light-driven Fenton reaction. The study reveals a previously overlooked natural mechanism by which common soil minerals can influence the environmental fate of microplastics.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Photo-aging of polyvinyl chloride microplastic in the presence of natural organic acids

Researchers described a new photo-aging pathway for polyvinyl chloride microplastics in aquatic environments involving low-molecular-weight organic acids. The study found that natural organic acids and their iron complexes significantly accelerated the degradation of PVC microplastics under sunlight through hydroxyl radical generation, revealing how environmental conditions influence microplastic weathering.

2020 Water Research 297 citations
Article Tier 2

Accelerated aging of polyvinyl chloride microplastics by UV irradiation: Aging characteristics, filtrate analysis, and adsorption behavior

Researchers systematically investigated how UV irradiation ages polyvinyl chloride microplastics, characterizing changes in their physical and chemical properties and the organic matter they release. The study established quantitative relationships between the degree of aging and the capacity of microplastics to adsorb environmental pollutants like malachite green and sulfamethoxazole, providing a tool for predicting contaminant accumulation on weathered microplastics in natural environments.

2023 Environmental Technology & Innovation 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoaging of Polyvinyl Chloride and Polystyrene Under UVA Radiation in Diverse Environmental Conditions

Researchers exposed polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene plastics to UVA radiation under diverse environmental conditions and tracked their photoaging and fragmentation, finding that UVA exposure accelerates microplastic generation in ways that vary with environmental context.

2025 University of Alberta Library
Article Tier 2

The photodegradation processes and mechanisms of polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate microplastic in aquatic environments: Important role of clay minerals

Researchers found that clay minerals like kaolinite and montmorillonite play an important role in the photodegradation of PVC and PET microplastics in aquatic environments, either accelerating or modifying UV-driven weathering processes.

2021 Water Research 179 citations
Article Tier 2

Photochemistry of microplastics-derived dissolved organic matter: Reactive species generation and organic pollutant degradation

Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter released from degrading polystyrene and PVC microplastics behaves when exposed to sunlight in water. They found that sunlight breaks down the aromatic compounds in this plastic-derived material and generates reactive chemical species, though at lower rates than natural organic matter. Despite this, these reactive species significantly accelerated the breakdown of co-existing pollutants, suggesting that degrading microplastics may act as unexpected natural catalysts in aquatic environments.

2024 Water Research 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Wastewater preinteraction accelerates the photoaging of disposable box-derived polystyrene microplastics in water

Researchers found that pre-exposure of polystyrene microplastics to real wastewater significantly accelerated their subsequent photoaging under UV light — doubling oxidation rates — with fulvic acid identified as the primary wastewater constituent driving this enhancement.

2022 Water Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic removal from urban stormwater: Current treatments and research gaps

Researchers investigated the phototransformation of polystyrene microplastics under simulated solar radiation, finding surface oxidation and formation of carbonyl groups after UV exposure. Photo-aged particles showed increased release of dissolved organic carbon and greater toxicity to marine copepods.

2022 Journal of Environmental Management 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Linking UV aging of polymers and microplastics formation: An assessment employing various characterization techniques

Researchers examined the link between UV aging of plastic polymers and the generation of microplastics in marine environments, using environmental assessment tools to model the process. The study clarifies how photodegradation rates and polymer type influence the rate and quantity of microplastic formation.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Enhancement of photodegradation of polyethylene with adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under artificial sunlight irradiation

Researchers showed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed onto polyethylene plastic act as photocatalysts that accelerate the photodegradation of the plastic in marine environments, increasing microplastic production from plastic waste contaminated with hydrophobic organic pollutants.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoaging mechanisms of microplastics mediated by dissolved organic matter in an iron-rich aquatic environment

Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter and iron mediate the photoaging of PVC and PET microplastics, finding that humic acid and iron accelerate surface degradation and alter the environmental behavior and risks of aged microplastics.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Aging of Microplasticsacross a Constructed Wetland

Researchers tracked the aging of five microplastic polymer types — LDPE, HDPE, polypropylene, polystyrene, and PET — across four habitats within a wastewater constructed wetland over 18 months, finding that physical, chemical, and biological processes jointly drive weathering and microorganism colonisation of plastics in these treatment systems.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Photochemical transformation of microplastics-derived dissolved organic matter altered the photoaging of microplastics

Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter released from different microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, and biodegradable PBAT) affects the aging of polystyrene microplastics under UV irradiation, finding that PBAT-derived organic matter most strongly accelerated plastic photoaging.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Linking UV aging of polymers and microplastics formation: An assessment employing various characterization techniques

This study used environmental assessment tools to model how UV aging of plastic polymers drives microplastic formation in marine environments. The analysis identified polymer-specific degradation rates and environmental conditions that accelerate the conversion of plastic debris into microplastics.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

The aging behavior of polyvinyl chloride microplastics promoted by UV-activated persulfate process

Researchers investigated UV-activated persulfate as an accelerated aging process for PVC microplastics, finding significant dechlorination and surface changes that help predict long-term weathering behavior of microplastics in the environment.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular transformation and photochemical reactivity of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter on goethite: Implications for persistence and reactive oxygen species dynamics

Researchers investigated how microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter interacts with the mineral goethite and how this affects its photochemical reactivity. They found that different plastic types produced distinct chemical behaviors: polystyrene-derived matter underwent sulfonation that enhanced reactive oxygen species formation, while polyethylene-derived matter remained relatively inert. The study suggests that microplastic-derived organic matter persists differently in soil depending on its polymer origin and mineral interactions.

2025 Water Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

How Heavy Metals Influence Microplastic Degradation: UV Absorption and Photoreactivity of Ps-fe₃o₄ Composites

Researchers examined how heavy metals, specifically iron oxide (Fe3O4), influence the UV absorption and photoreactivity of polystyrene microplastics when forming PS-Fe3O4 composite particles. The study found that iron oxide incorporation altered the photodegradation behavior of polystyrene microplastics, with implications for understanding microplastic weathering and associated pollutant release in natural environments.

2025 International Journal of Advanced Research
Article Tier 2

Dissolved Organic Matter Promotes the Aging Process of Polystyrene Microplastics under Dark and Ultraviolet Light Conditions: The Crucial Role of Reactive Oxygen Species

Researchers found that dissolved organic matter commonly present in natural water environments accelerates the aging and degradation of polystyrene microplastics under both dark and ultraviolet light conditions. The study identified reactive oxygen species as the crucial driver of this aging process, with fulvic acid showing a stronger effect than humic acid due to its greater ability to generate semiquinone radicals.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 246 citations