Papers

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Article Tier 2

Interactions of Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAAs) with PVC and PE Microplastics in Water

Microplastic particles remaining in treated drinking water can adsorb chlorination byproducts called trihalomethanes (THMs), potentially acting as vectors that deliver these cancer-associated chemicals into the body. Lab tests showed PVC microplastics adsorbed THMs at up to 18 micrograms per gram, while polyethylene showed little uptake, and weathered plastics behaved differently from virgin material — findings with direct relevance to drinking water safety and the regulation of plastic in water distribution systems.

2023 TSpace
Article Tier 2

Exploring the adsorption behavior of benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles on polyvinyl chloride microplastics in the water environment

Researchers systematically investigated the adsorption behavior of benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles on polyvinyl chloride microplastics in aquatic environments, characterizing adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics to explain the underlying mechanisms. The study revealed that PVC microplastics act as carriers for these ubiquitous water contaminants through a multilayer adsorption process, with implications for pollutant migration and ecological risk.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of N‑Nitrosodimethylamineonto Polyvinyl Chloride and Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplasticsin Drinking Water

Researchers investigated the adsorption of the drinking water carcinogen NDMA onto PVC and PET microplastics, finding that weathered particles had higher adsorption capacity than virgin ones, and that pH, organic matter, and ionic strength in water affect how much NDMA microplastics carry.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Impact of non-aged and UV-aged microplastics on the formation of halogenated disinfection byproducts during chlorination of drinking water and its mechanism

Researchers investigated how both new and UV-aged microplastics affect the formation of halogenated disinfection byproducts during chlorine treatment of drinking water. They found that non-aged microplastics reduced byproduct formation by adsorbing organic precursors, while UV-aged microplastics had a much smaller reduction effect because they release organic compounds that offset adsorption. The study reveals that environmental aging of microplastics changes their impact on drinking water treatment chemistry in important ways.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

The aging and pollution behavior of microplastics in tap water supply system subjected to residual chlorine exposure

Researchers studied how residual chlorine in tap water distribution systems ages ABS and polycarbonate microplastics, finding that chlorine exposure caused surface changes and increased hydrophilicity of the particles. The aging microplastics released dissolved organic matter into the water and, when interacting with chlorine, produced trichloromethane, a disinfection byproduct. The findings suggest that microplastics in drinking water infrastructure may contribute to the formation of harmful chemical byproducts.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of N -Nitrosodimethylamine onto Polyvinyl Chloride and Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics in Drinking Water

Researchers investigated how the carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) adsorbs onto PVC and PET microplastics in drinking water, finding that weathered microplastics had higher adsorption capacity than virgin particles and that water pH, temperature, and organic matter influenced uptake.

2025 ACS ES&T Water
Article Tier 2

Adsorption mechanisms of five bisphenol analogues on PVC microplastics

The adsorption of five bisphenol analogues (BPA, BPS, BPF, BPB, BPAF) onto PVC microplastics was studied, finding maximum adsorption efficiencies of 0.15–0.24 mg/g and identifying a three-stage kinetic process involving surface transport and intraparticle diffusion. The study reveals that PVC microplastics can adsorb plasticizer bisphenol compounds at significant levels, creating a potential feedback loop of chemical re-release in aquatic environments.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 549 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption mechanisms of chlorobenzenes and trifluralin on primary polyethylene microplastics in the aquatic environment

Researchers investigated the adsorption mechanisms of six priority chlorinated and aromatic pollutants (including trichlorobenzenes and trifluralin) onto primary polyethylene microplastics, revealing how plastic type, surface area, and compound properties govern contaminant uptake in aqueous environments.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastics and organic matter leaching behavior during chlorination

Researchers studied how chlorination affects polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics and the organic matter they release, finding that chlorination promoted organic carbon leaching from microplastics at about 0.3 to 0.5 parts per thousand of the plastic mass. The leached organic matter showed significant potential to form trihalomethane and haloacetonitrile disinfection byproducts, raising concerns about chlorinated microplastics in drinking water systems.

2022 Chemosphere 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Bisphenol A sorption on commercial polyvinyl chloride microplastics: Effects of UV-aging, biofilm colonization and additives on plastic behaviour in the environment.

Researchers studied how UV aging and biofilm growth affect the ability of commercial PVC microplastics to adsorb and release bisphenol A, an endocrine-disrupting chemical. The study found that UV exposure and biofilm colonization generally increased adsorption capacity, but the effect varied depending on the plastic's additive composition, suggesting that commercial additives play an underappreciated role in how microplastics transport pollutants in the environment.

2024 Environmental Pollution 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic Adsorption of Organic Pollutants on Weathered Polyethylene Microplastics

Researchers studied how environmental weathering changes the ability of polyethylene microplastics to adsorb organic pollutants like triclosan and methylparaben. The study found that weathered and oxidatively degradable polyethylene adsorbed significantly more pollutants than virgin plastic, suggesting that aged microplastics in the environment may pose a greater risk as carriers of toxic chemicals.

2022 Polymers 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption of polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCs) to microplastics

Researchers investigated the sorption of five polyhalogenated carbazoles onto polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride microplastics, finding that sorption capacity varied with plastic type and carbazole structure, indicating that microplastics can act as vectors for these emerging halogenated organic contaminants.

2019 Marine Pollution Bulletin 79 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of highly toxic chlorophenylacetonitriles on typical microplastics in aqueous solutions: Kinetics, isotherm, impact factors and mechanism

Chlorophenylacetonitrile disinfection byproducts were found at 88-219 ng/L in wastewater treatment plant effluents, with polystyrene microplastics showing the highest adsorption capacity (up to 43.6 microg/g) due to pi-pi interactions, compared to PE and PET, across a range of concentrations.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption behavior and mechanism of hydrophilic organic chemicals to virgin and aged microplastics in freshwater and seawater

UV-accelerated aging of polystyrene and PVC microplastics increased surface oxidation and introduced microcracks, and aged MPs showed significantly increased adsorption of the hydrophilic antibiotic ciprofloxacin compared to virgin MPs. The findings demonstrate that even hydrophilic organic chemicals can accumulate on aged microplastics, expanding the range of compounds that microplastics may carry and deliver to organisms.

2018 Environmental Pollution 1012 citations
Article Tier 2

Change in adsorption behavior of aquatic humic substances on microplastic through biotic and abiotic aging processes

Researchers found that both UV irradiation and microbial aging of polyethylene microplastics significantly altered their surface chemistry, changing how aquatic humic substances adsorb onto the plastic surface and highlighting the importance of weathering state in assessing microplastic-contaminant interactions.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Secondary pollution of microplastic hetero-aggregates after chlorination: Released contaminants rarely re-adsorbed by the second-formed hetero-aggregates

Researchers found that microplastic hetero-aggregates in urban water act like 'time bombs': chlorination during water treatment destroys the aggregates and triggers the release of accumulated organic contaminants and microbial metabolites that are poorly re-adsorbed afterward.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) with Varying Hydrophobicity on Macro- and Microplastic Polyvinyl Chloride, Polyethylene, and Polystyrene: Kinetics and Potential Mechanisms

Researchers found that both plastic size and polymer type influenced the adsorption of contaminants of emerging concern onto PVC, polyethylene, and polystyrene, with microplastics generally adsorbing more than macroplastics and contaminant hydrophobicity playing a key role in determining adsorption kinetics and capacity.

2022 Water 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Volatile organic compounds generation pathways and mechanisms from microplastics in water: Ultraviolet, chlorine and ultraviolet/chlorine disinfection

Researchers examined how UV, chlorine, and combined UV/chlorine disinfection treatments cause microplastics to release volatile organic compounds, identifying distinct degradation pathways for polypropylene, polystyrene, and PVC that generate diverse chemical byproducts in treated water.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Modifications to sorption and sinking capability of microplastics after chlorination

Researchers found that chlorination disinfection at both low and high doses modified the surface chemistry of PE, PET, PS, and PVC microplastics, increasing surface area and reducing hydrophobicity while weakening their capacity to sorb contaminants like ciprofloxacin. The study concluded that chlorination generally reduces the role of microplastics as transport vectors for organic pollutants, though effects on buoyancy varied by polymer type.

2023 Water Science & Technology Water Supply 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Surface functional groups determine adsorption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products on polypropylene microplastics

Researchers found that surface functional groups on aged polypropylene microplastics determined their adsorption capacity for pharmaceuticals and personal care products, with aged plastic showing much higher pollutant uptake than fresh plastic due to weathering-induced surface changes.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 157 citations
Article Tier 2

UV aging of microplastic polymers promotes their chemical transformation and byproduct formation upon chlorination

Researchers studied how UV aging of different microplastic polymers affects their behavior during water chlorination treatment. They found that UV aging significantly increased the reactivity of polyamide and polyester microplastics, promoting the release of harmful organic compounds and the formation of disinfection byproducts by more than 10-fold. The study reveals that weathered microplastics in drinking water systems may generate more toxic byproducts during standard chlorination than their pristine counterparts.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of Pollutants on Microplastics in Freshwater

This book chapter examines adsorption of co-contaminants—including heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals—onto microplastic surfaces in freshwater environments, reviewing how plastic particle characteristics determine their capacity to concentrate and transport associated pollutants.

2025
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of microplastic polymer-derived dissolved organic matter and its potential as a disinfection byproduct precursor

UV irradiation caused polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics to leach dissolved organic matter into water, producing low-molecular-weight compounds that could react with chlorine during water treatment to form trihalomethanes, a known class of disinfection byproducts and carcinogens. The findings suggest that microplastics in source water could be a previously unrecognized precursor to harmful disinfection byproducts.

2020 Water Research 209 citations