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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Reactive species-mediated stepwise photoaging mechanisms of microplastics transferred from freshwater to seawater
ClearPhoto aging of polypropylene microplastics in estuary water and coastal seawater: Important role of chlorine ion
Researchers studied how UV light ages polypropylene microplastics in estuarine and coastal seawater and found that chloride ions significantly accelerated photo-degradation by generating reactive chlorine radicals, suggesting that marine microplastics age faster than freshwater ones.
Which factors mainly drive the photoaging of microplastics in freshwater?
This study systematically investigated the roles of UV irradiation, oxygen, temperature, and physical abrasion in the photoaging of polystyrene microplastics in freshwater. UV irradiation and mechanical abrasion were identified as the dominant aging factors, and their combined effect caused more extensive surface oxidation and fragmentation than either alone.
Photo aging of polyester microfiber in freshwater and seawater environments: kinetics, mechanisms, and influencing factors
UV aging of polyester (PET) microfibers accelerates faster in seawater than in freshwater, driven by reactive ions like nitrate, bromide, and chloride. This matters because faster aging in marine environments means PET microfibers — the most abundant microplastic in aquatic systems — break down more rapidly into smaller, potentially more bioavailable nanoplastic fragments in the ocean.
Study on the photo-aging process and mechanism of polystyrene microplastics under different salinities mediated by humic acid
This study examined how sunlight breaks down polystyrene microplastics in water with different salt levels and dissolved organic matter. The combination of salt and humic acid accelerated the aging of microplastics, making them smaller and more chemically reactive. This matters because aged microplastics can more easily absorb toxic pollutants and are small enough to be taken up by organisms, increasing potential health risks.
High salinity promotes the photoaging of polystyrene microplastics with humic acid in seawater
Researchers found that high salinity seawater significantly accelerates the photoaging of polystyrene microplastics in the presence of humic acid, producing more hydroxyl radicals that promote fragmentation and oxidation of the plastic particles.
Inorganic anions influenced the photoaging kinetics and mechanism of polystyrene microplastic under the simulated sunlight: Role of reactive radical species
Researchers found that common inorganic anions in natural water significantly influence the photoaging of polystyrene microplastics under sunlight, with nitrate and bicarbonate accelerating degradation while chloride and bromide had varying effects on aging mechanisms.
Aging mechanism of microplastics with UV irradiation and its effects on the adsorption of heavy metals
Researchers aged polystyrene microplastics using UV irradiation under three conditions (air, pure water, seawater) and found that aging changed surface chemistry and increased the microplastics' capacity to adsorb heavy metals, with seawater aging producing the most pronounced surface oxidation.
Comprehensive Understanding on the Aging Process and Mechanism of Microplastics in the Sediment–Water Interface: Untangling the Role of Photoaging and Biodegradation
Researchers examined how microplastics break down at the boundary between water and sediment in coastal wetlands, comparing the roles of sunlight-driven aging and biological degradation. They found that photoaging was the dominant process, accounting for over 55% of surface changes, and that biodegradable plastics aged faster than conventional ones. The study provides important insights into how microplastics transform in real-world coastal environments.
New Insights into the Mechanisms of Toxicity of Aging Microplastics
This study showed that UV-aged polypropylene microplastics are significantly more toxic than fresh ones, absorbing more chemicals and generating more harmful reactive oxygen species in seawater. The aged particles caused greater damage to cell membranes in mussels compared to pristine plastics. Since most microplastics in the ocean have been weathered by sunlight, real-world exposure risks may be higher than laboratory studies using new plastics suggest.
Releasing characteristics of toxic chemicals from polystyrene microplastics in the aqueous environment during photoaging process
This study revealed that as polystyrene microplastics age under UV light, they release a growing number of toxic chemicals including organic compounds and heavy metals into surrounding water. The rate of chemical release increased dramatically with aging time, meaning that weathered microplastics in the environment are more chemically hazardous than fresh ones, with implications for water quality and human exposure.
Influence of UV exposure time and simulated marine environment on different microplastic degradation
Researchers examined how UV radiation and saltwater conditions affect the degradation of polypropylene, polystyrene, and ethylene-vinyl acetate microplastics. The study found that each polymer type responded differently to photodegradation, with changes in surface properties, crystallinity, and chemical bond formation varying by material. Evidence indicates that saline marine conditions can intensify certain degradation processes, suggesting that multiple environmental factors must be considered when assessing microplastic breakdown.
Long-term phototransformation of microplastics under simulated sunlight irradiation in aquatic environments: Roles of reactive oxygen species
Researchers examined the long-term photodegradation of polystyrene microplastics under simulated sunlight in aquatic conditions, finding that reactive oxygen species — particularly hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen — were the primary drivers of surface oxidation and fragmentation into nanoplastics.
The Photodegradation Process of PP Plastics in Tidal Flat Environments: The Role and Mechanism of Chloride Ions
Researchers investigated how chloride ions in tidal flat environments affect polypropylene plastic photodegradation, finding that chloride accelerated degradation kinetics, increased carbonyl index values faster, and promoted microplastic fragmentation — identifying saltwater chemistry as a key factor in coastal plastic aging.
Progress on the photo aging mechanism of microplastics and related impact factors in water environment
This review examined the photo-aging mechanisms of microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that solar UV radiation drives oxidation reactions that alter surface chemistry, fragment particles further, and enhance their capacity to adsorb and release co-occurring pollutants.
Aging Process of Microplastics in the Aquatic Environments: Aging Pathway, Characteristic Change, Compound Effect, and Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals Formation
This review summarizes how microplastics age and transform in aquatic environments through oxidation, weathering, and fragmentation. Researchers documented changes in particle size, crystallinity, and surface chemistry during the aging process, and found that aged microplastics may interact synergistically with other environmental pollutants. The study also describes how photoaging generates environmentally persistent free radicals that could pose additional toxicity concerns.
Understanding microplastic aging driven by photosensitization of algal extracellular polymeric substances
Researchers found that substances released by algae significantly speed up the breakdown of polystyrene microplastics under sunlight. The algal compounds generate reactive molecules that attack the plastic surface, creating smaller fragments and releasing dissolved organic matter. The findings are particularly relevant for understanding how microplastics degrade in waterways affected by algal blooms.
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.
Seawater Accelerated the Aging of Polystyrene and Enhanced Its Toxic Effects on Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers simulated the aging of polystyrene microplastics in seawater and found that the marine environment accelerated surface erosion, releasing smaller aged particles. When tested on the nematode C. elegans, the aged polystyrene caused greater reductions in movement, vitality, and reproduction compared to virgin particles, driven by increased oxidative stress. The findings suggest that microplastics become more toxic as they weather in ocean conditions.
Photoaging-induced variations in heteroaggregation of nanoplastics and suspended sediments in aquatic environments: A case study on nanopolystyrene
Researchers investigated how photoaging affects the aggregation behavior of polystyrene nanoplastics with suspended sediments in water. They found that 30 days of photoaging retarded aggregation in sodium chloride solutions due to steric hindrance from leached organic matter, but promoted aggregation in calcium chloride solutions through calcium bridging of newly formed oxygen-containing surface groups. The study provides mechanistic insights into how environmental weathering changes the transport and fate of nanoplastics in aquatic systems.
Understanding the hazards induced by microplastics in different environmental conditions
Researchers subjected four common plastic types to accelerated aging under UV light, enzyme exposure, and seawater conditions to understand how environmental stress transforms microplastics. They found that seawater conditions caused the greatest size reduction, with polyethylene shrinking by over 87%, along with significant chemical changes including the formation of oxygen-containing functional groups. The study suggests that environmentally weathered microplastics, particularly polyethylene exposed to ocean conditions, may pose greater potential health hazards than pristine particles.
The fate, impacts and potential risks of photoaging process of the microplastics in the aqueous environment
This review examines how ultraviolet light from sunlight causes microplastics in water to age and change their physical and chemical properties, including surface texture, chemical structure, and water-repelling ability. Researchers found that photoaged microplastics become better at carrying other pollutants and may pose greater environmental risks than fresh plastics. The study highlights that aged microplastics can also increase biological toxicity and human exposure risks compared to their original form.
Aging of plastics in aquatic environments: Pathways, environmental behavior, ecological impacts, analyses and quantifications
This review examines how plastics age and degrade in aquatic environments through photo-oxidation, mechanical abrasion, and biodegradation. Researchers discuss the physicochemical changes that occur in aging plastics and the release of potentially harmful oxidation products during degradation. The study suggests that understanding these complex aging dynamics is essential for assessing the environmental and ecological risks posed by microplastics.
Effects of photochlorination on the physicochemical transformation of polystyrene nanoplastics: Mechanism and environmental fate
Researchers studied how sunlight combined with chlorine in water treatment changes the properties of polystyrene nanoplastics. They found that solar irradiation significantly accelerated the chemical breakdown of the nanoplastics, including surface oxidation and the release of organic compounds. The study reveals that nanoplastics leaving wastewater treatment plants undergo rapid transformation in the environment, which could alter both their fate and toxicity.
Hydrophilic Fraction of Dissolved Organic Matter Largely Facilitated Microplastics Photoaging: Insights from Redox Properties and Reactive Oxygen Species
This study investigated how dissolved organic matter in natural water affects the breakdown of microplastics by sunlight. The water-soluble fraction of organic matter was most effective at speeding up microplastic aging by generating reactive oxygen species that attack the plastic surface. This matters because faster breakdown of microplastics in the environment creates smaller, potentially more dangerous nanoplastic particles that can more easily enter living organisms.