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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Natural and simulated weathering of polystyrene: A molecular view of the polymeric interface
ClearInvestigation of Surface Alteration of Microplastics by Using UV Irradiation
UV radiation causes polystyrene and other plastic microparticles to undergo photooxidative degradation, changing their surface chemistry and potentially making them more likely to adsorb or release chemical pollutants. Understanding these weathering processes is important for predicting the environmental behavior and toxicity of microplastics.
Exploring polystyrene weathering behavior: From surface traits to micro(nano)plastics and additives release
Researchers systematically studied how polystyrene weathers under UV light and mechanical stress, tracking the release of microplastics, nanoplastics, and chemical additives over time. They found that weathering progressively altered the surface properties of the plastic and increased the release of smaller particles and potentially harmful additives. The findings help predict how polystyrene products break down in the environment and what secondary pollutants they generate.
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.
Effect of ozonation on the morphological characteristics and adsorption behavior of polystyrene microplastics in aqueous environments
Researchers exposed polystyrene microplastics to ozone treatment and found that the aging process made the particles smaller, more negatively charged, and better at absorbing pollutants from water — meaning weathered microplastics in the environment may carry more harmful chemicals than fresh ones.
Probing the molecular interaction between photoaged polystyrene microplastics and fulvic acid
Researchers investigated how photoaged polystyrene microplastics interact with fulvic acid, a common natural organic compound found in water environments. Using advanced spectroscopy techniques, they found that aging changed the surface chemistry of the microplastics and altered how they bind to fulvic acid at the molecular level. The study suggests that weathering processes in the environment may significantly change how microplastics interact with and transport other dissolved substances in water.
Reconstructing the Environmental Degradation of Polystyrene by Accelerated Weathering
Researchers conducted long-term accelerated weathering experiments on polystyrene and characterized changes in surface chemistry, morphology, and particle size distribution over time, providing empirical data on fragmentation kinetics and chemical transformation needed to model environmental residence times.
UV/ozone induced physicochemical transformations of polystyrene nanoparticles and their aggregation tendency and kinetics with natural organic matter in aqueous systems
Researchers weathered polystyrene nanoparticles with UV light and ozone and then tested their aggregation behavior in waters containing humic acid, lysozyme, and alginate, finding that weathering-induced oxygen-containing surface groups significantly altered aggregation kinetics in ways strongly dependent on which organic molecules were present.
Effects of weathering and simulated gastric fluid exposure on cellular responses to polystyrene particles
Researchers studied the effects of weathering and simulated gastric fluid exposure on cellular responses to polystyrene particles. The study suggests that environmental weathering can alter how micro- and nanoplastics interact with biological systems, with potential implications for understanding human health effects from ingested plastic particles.
The transport of polystyrene microplastics in saturated porous media: Impacts of functional groups and solution chemistry
Researchers studied how surface chemistry and water conditions affect the movement of polystyrene microplastics through sand, comparing unmodified particles with those carrying carboxyl or amino groups that mimic natural aging. They found that factors like water acidity, salt concentration, and the type of chemical groups on the plastic surface all significantly influenced how far the particles traveled. The study provides important insights into how weathered microplastics may spread through soil and groundwater differently than fresh particles.
UVA-induced weathering of microplastics in seawater: surface property transformations and kinetics
Researchers studied how UVA radiation weathers microplastics in seawater, examining changes to surface properties and degradation rates. The study developed a model integrating an aging index with degradation kinetics, finding that UV exposure significantly transforms microplastic surface characteristics, which affects their behavior and potential ecological impact in marine environments.
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.
UV sources and plastic composition influence microplastic surface degradation: Implications for plastic weathering studies
This study tested how different UV light sources change the surface of common microplastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. The results show that sunlight and lab UV lights weather plastics differently, changing their surface roughness and chemical makeup -- which matters because these surface changes affect how microplastics transport pollutants and interact with living organisms in the environment.
From Macro to Micro Plastics; Influence of Photo-oxidative Degradation
This study used simulated UV aging to investigate how photo-oxidative degradation of common plastics drives fragmentation from macro to micro scale, characterizing the surface property changes and structural breakdown that generate microplastic particles in the environment.
Physicochemical and biological ageing processes of (micro)plastics in the environment: a multi-tiered study on polyethylene
Researchers applied a multi-tiered approach combining laboratory aging, field deployment, and environmental simulation to study how polyethylene plastic undergoes physicochemical and biological weathering in natural settings. The study found that UV radiation and microbial colonization act synergistically to accelerate surface oxidation and fragmentation of PE into smaller particles.
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.
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.
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.
UV-ageing effects on polystyrene microplastics surface polarity and transport in soils
Researchers found that UV sunlight exposure changes polystyrene microplastics by adding oxygen-containing groups to their surfaces, which makes the particles move differently through soil. The UV-aged particles became smaller and had altered surface charges, affecting how far they could travel through sand and soil. This matters because it shows that weathered microplastics in the environment behave differently than fresh ones, potentially reaching groundwater and other water sources more easily.
ROS-mediated photoaging pathways of nano- and micro-plastic particles under UV irradiation
Researchers investigated the role of reactive oxygen species in the photoaging of nano- and micro-plastic particles under UV irradiation. The study found that bare polystyrene nanoparticles generated hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen, while surface coatings and larger particle sizes reduced ROS generation. The findings help explain the mechanisms by which UV exposure breaks down plastic particles in aquatic environments.
Molecular characteristics and plastic additives in dissolved organic matter derived from polystyrene microplastics: Effects of cumulative irradiation and microplastic concentrations
This study investigated how ultraviolet light breaks down polystyrene microplastics and releases dissolved organic matter, including plastic additives, into the surrounding water. Greater UV exposure produced more complex chemical mixtures with higher levels of potentially toxic compounds. The findings are important because sunlight-driven breakdown of microplastics in the environment may release harmful chemicals into water sources that people use for drinking and recreation.
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.
Biodegradation of weathered polystyrene films in seawater microcosms
Researchers found that natural marine bacterial communities, especially after adapting to plastic surfaces over time, can measurably break down weathered polystyrene films in seawater under realistic ocean conditions. Chemical and physical analysis confirmed actual degradation of the plastic's molecular structure, suggesting that ocean microbes play a role in the slow natural breakdown of plastic pollution.
Degradation and fragmentation behavior of polypropylene and polystyrene in water.
Polypropylene and polystyrene retrieved from beaches were compared in their surface texture and degradation behavior when exposed to highly reactive sulfate radicals in water. Polypropylene showed more surface roughening than polystyrene, and both plastics produced degradation products at different rates. The study provides insight into how common plastics break down in aquatic environments into microplastic fragments.
Nanofragmentation of Expanded Polystyrene Under Simulated Environmental Weathering (Thermooxidative Degradation and Hydrodynamic Turbulence)
Researchers studied the combined effect of UV oxidation and mechanical abrasion on the fragmentation of expanded polystyrene under simulated marine weathering conditions. They found that oxidative degradation and mechanical stress together drive the breakdown of macroplastics into micro- and nanoscale particles in the ocean.