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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Increased adsorption of diflubenzuron onto polylactic acid microplastics after ultraviolet weathering can increase acute toxicity in the water flea (Daphnia magna)
ClearEcotoxicity of polylactic acid microplastic fragments to Daphnia magna and the effect of ultraviolet weathering
Scientists compared the toxicity of biodegradable PLA (polylactic acid) microplastics with conventional polyethylene microplastics on water fleas, a key species in aquatic food chains. The biodegradable PLA microplastics were actually more acutely toxic than conventional ones, partly because their higher density led to greater accumulation in the organisms. UV weathering further increased the toxicity of PLA microplastics, challenging the assumption that biodegradable plastics are automatically safer for the environment.
Adsorption/desorption behavior of degradable polylactic acid microplastics on bisphenol A under different aging conditions
Researchers studied how different types of UV-simulated aging affect the ability of polylactic acid microplastics to adsorb and release bisphenol A. The study found that aging conditions changed the surface properties of the biodegradable plastic, altering its interaction with this common environmental contaminant. The findings suggest that even biodegradable microplastics can act as carriers of harmful chemicals depending on their degradation state.
Adsorption behaviors of chlorpyrifos on UV aged microplastics
Researchers investigated how UV aging affects the adsorption of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on biodegradable and non-degradable microplastics, finding that UV irradiation significantly modified plastic surfaces and enhanced their capacity to carry organic pollutants.
Toxicity comparison of polylactic acid and polyethylene microplastics co-exposed with methylmercury on Daphnia magna
Researchers compared the toxicity of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics with conventional polyethylene microplastics, both alone and in combination with methylmercury, on water fleas. The biodegradable microplastics caused greater harm, significantly reducing survival and reproduction while also increasing mercury accumulation in the organisms. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment, suggesting they may actually enhance the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants.
The effect of UV exposure on conventional and degradable microplastics adsorption for Pb (II) in sediment
Researchers studied how UV aging affects the ability of conventional polyethylene and degradable polylactic acid microplastics to adsorb lead ions from aquatic sediment. They found that UV aging increased the surface area and oxygen content of both plastic types, enhancing their capacity to adsorb heavy metals. The study suggests that weathered microplastics in the environment may be more effective carriers of heavy metal contamination than pristine particles.
The biodegradation of polylactic acid microplastic and their toxic effect after biofouling in activate sludge
This study tested whether biofouling (natural coating by microorganisms) changes how toxic biodegradable PLA microplastics are to water fleas. Fresh PLA microplastics significantly reduced survival and reproduction, but after four weeks of biofouling, the coated particles were much less harmful. However, the PLA only degraded 50% over 28 days, showing that even biodegradable plastics persist in the environment long enough to cause harm before breaking down.
Photoaging of polyethylene microplastic and its effect on the chlorpyrifos adsorption
This study examined how UV-B radiation ages polyethylene microplastics over time and how that aging changes their ability to adsorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos. Photoaging modified the surface chemistry and structure of the plastic, altering its interaction with the pesticide, suggesting that weathered microplastics in aquatic environments may carry different — and potentially higher — loads of toxic chemicals than fresh particles. This "Trojan horse" effect is important for understanding how microplastics contribute to broader chemical contamination of waterways.
Aging characteristics of polylatic acid microplastics and their adsorption on hydrophilic organic pollutants: mechanistic investigations and theoretical calculations
Researchers characterized how polylactic acid microplastics undergo UV and thermal aging in aquatic environments, finding that aging altered surface chemistry, increased hydrophilicity, and enhanced adsorption of heavy metal pollutants—raising concerns about aged biodegradable plastics as carriers of co-contaminants.
Photoaging effects on polyethylene microplastics: Structural changes and chlorpyrifos adsorption
Researchers studied how UVB-induced photoaging changes the properties of polyethylene microplastics and their ability to absorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos. They found that aged microplastics absorbed nearly 18% more pesticide than pristine ones, due to the formation of oxygen-containing surface groups, increased surface roughness, and reduced crystallinity. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in the environment may pose greater risks as carriers of harmful pesticides.
Laboratory Studies about Microplastic Aging and Its Effects on the Adsorption of Chlorpyrifos
Researchers simulated the aging of six types of microplastics in freshwater and seawater to study how weathering affects their ability to adsorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos. The study found that UV-driven aging caused surface cracks, pores, and chemical changes in the microplastics, and the aging process increased their capacity to adsorb chlorpyrifos, suggesting that weathered microplastics in the environment may carry higher concentrations of pesticide pollutants.
Aging characteristics of degradable and non-biodegradable microplastics and their adsorption mechanism for sulfonamides
Researchers investigated how aging processes affect the ability of degradable and non-biodegradable microplastics to adsorb sulfonamide antibiotics in aquatic environments. The study found that aging increased the hydrophilicity and polarity of microplastics, boosting the adsorption capacity of polylactic acid by up to 3.18 times, suggesting that weathered microplastics may pose greater ecological risks as carriers of co-existing contaminants.
Chronic toxicity of biodegradable microplastic (Polylactic acid) to Daphnia magna: A comparison with polyethylene terephthalate
Scientists compared the toxicity of biodegradable PLA microplastics with conventional PET microplastics on water fleas and found that PLA was actually more harmful. At higher concentrations, PLA microplastics killed nearly half the organisms, reduced reproduction, and increased birth defects more than PET particles did. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safer for the environment, suggesting they may pose similar or even greater ecological risks than conventional plastics.
Characteristics and adsorption behavior of typical microplastics in long-term accelerated weathering simulation
Researchers tested how weathering from sunlight changes the ability of common microplastics to absorb pollutants like dyes and antibiotics. They found that weathered microplastics absorbed significantly more contaminants than fresh ones, and that biodegradable plastic (PBAT) absorbed up to 10 times more pollutants than traditional polyethylene after aging. This means microplastics in the environment, especially degradable types, may be carrying higher loads of harmful chemicals than expected, increasing the risk when they enter the food chain or water supply.
Deciphering the interaction of sulfamethoxazole with biodegradable versus conventional, virgin versus aged microplastics in aquatic environment
Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics interact with the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole in water, both before and after UV aging. They found that biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics had the highest capacity to absorb the antibiotic, and that aging generally increased absorption for all plastic types. The study suggests that microplastics in waterways may act as carriers for pharmaceutical pollutants, with biodegradable plastics potentially posing a greater transport risk than conventional ones.
Atrazine sorption on biodegradable microplastics: Significance of microbial aging
Researchers found that soil microbial aging of biodegradable microplastics — polylactic acid (PLA) and PBAT — significantly alters their surface properties and increases their capacity to adsorb the herbicide atrazine, suggesting that biodegradable plastics may pose underappreciated pollutant-transport risks as they break down.
Aging of microplastics increases their adsorption affinity towards organic contaminants
Researchers found that microplastics that have been weathered by sunlight and environmental exposure absorb significantly more chemical pollutants than fresh microplastics, with up to a 4.7-fold increase in adsorption. Ultraviolet exposure changes the surface chemistry of the plastics, making them stickier for contaminants. This matters because most microplastics in nature are weathered, meaning they may be carrying more toxic chemicals into the food chain than laboratory studies using new plastics would suggest.
UV and chemical aging alter the adsorption behavior of microplastics for tetracycline
Researchers found that UV and chemical aging significantly increased microplastics' capacity to adsorb tetracycline, with biodegradable PBAT showing more dramatic changes in surface properties and adsorption behavior compared to conventional plastics like polystyrene and polyethylene.
Adsorption behavior of triazine pesticides on polystyrene microplastics aging with different processes in natural environment
Researchers found that microplastics that have aged in the environment absorb pesticides more effectively and quickly than fresh microplastics, and the pesticide-loaded particles are more toxic to bacteria. This means that as microplastics weather outdoors, they become better carriers for agricultural chemicals, potentially increasing the combined health risks when these contaminated particles enter food or water supplies.
Adsorption properties and mechanism of Cu(II) on virgin and aged microplastics in the aquatic environment
Researchers examined how UV aging changes the surface properties of polyamide and polylactic acid microplastics and affects their ability to adsorb copper ions in water. The study found that UV irradiation altered the physical and chemical characteristics of both plastic types, increasing their capacity to bind heavy metals. Evidence indicates that weathered microplastics may act as more effective carriers of heavy metal contaminants in aquatic environments compared to virgin plastics.
Accelerated aging behavior of degradable and non-degradable microplastics via advanced oxidation and their adsorption characteristics towards tetracycline
Researchers compared how biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional polystyrene microplastics age when exposed to advanced oxidation processes, and how aging changes their ability to adsorb the antibiotic tetracycline. They found that polylactic acid degraded more quickly and developed more surface changes during aging, leading to increased antibiotic adsorption. The findings suggest that as biodegradable plastics break down in the environment, they may become more effective at concentrating and transporting chemical contaminants.
Aged biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics alter metolachlor toxicity in the gut and liver of crucian carp
Researchers compared how aged microplastics from conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid films interact with the pesticide metolachlor in crucian carp. They found that polyethylene microplastics increased pesticide accumulation in organs, while polylactic acid particles produced more complex and sometimes more severe toxic effects, likely due to their own degradation products. The study underscores that biodegradable agricultural films may not be inherently safer than conventional plastics when it comes to combined pesticide-microplastic toxicity in aquatic environments.
Photoaging of biodegradable nanoplastics regulates their toxicity to aquatic insects (Chironomus kiinensis) by impairing gut and disrupting intestinal microbiota
This study found that biodegradable PLA nanoplastics become more toxic after aging in sunlight, causing worse gut damage, oxidative stress, and disruption of gut bacteria in aquatic insects than fresh particles. The aging process made the particles smaller and more chemically reactive, enhancing their harmful effects. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are inherently safer -- once they break down into nanoplastics in the environment, they may actually pose greater health risks.
UV weathering alters toxicity and chemical composition of consumer plastic leachates
Researchers examined how UV weathering changes the toxicity and chemical makeup of leachates from eight types of consumer plastic products. They found that UV exposure increased cytotoxicity up to 13-fold, particularly for polyethylene leachates, and enhanced reactive toxicity by up to 82%. The increased toxicity was primarily linked to the release and transformation of organic chemicals rather than the microplastic particles themselves, highlighting UV weathering as a critical driver of plastic pollution hazards.
Molecular-level insights into the leachates released from ultraviolet-aged biodegradable and conventional commercial microplastics and their mechanism of toxicity toward Chlorella pyrenoidosa
Researchers compared leachates from UV-aged biodegradable and conventional microplastics and found that biodegradable plastics actually released several times more dissolved organic matter and nano-sized particles than traditional plastics. The leachates from biodegradable plastics also caused more gene changes and greater toxicity in algae. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are environmentally safer, suggesting they may release more harmful substances as they break down.