Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Adsorption of copper by naturally and artificially aged polystyrene microplastics and subsequent release in simulated gastrointestinal fluid

Researchers compared how naturally and artificially aged polystyrene microplastics adsorb copper and then release it in simulated digestive fluids. They found that naturally aged microplastics from a lake adsorbed the most copper, largely due to metallic oxide deposits on their surfaces. The study suggests that aged microplastics may act as vectors for transporting metals into organisms through ingestion, with the aging method significantly affecting how much metal is carried and released.

2024 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Copper adsorption on microplastics: Investigating toxicity in an in vitro digestive environment

Researchers investigated how the presence of naturally weathered microplastics affects the bioaccessibility and toxicity of adsorbed copper during simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Results showed that microplastics altered the release and uptake of copper in the gut, potentially increasing or decreasing its bioavailable fraction depending on conditions.

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

Insights into adsorption behavior and mechanism of Cu(II) onto biodegradable and conventional microplastics: Effect of aging process and environmental factors

Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics adsorb copper ions from water, examining how aging processes and environmental factors influence this interaction. The study found that aged microplastics had a greater capacity to bind copper than fresh ones, suggesting that weathered plastic debris in the environment may serve as carriers for heavy metal contaminants.

2023 Environmental Pollution 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Copper adsorption on microplastics: Investigating toxicity in an in vitro digestive environment

Researchers analyzed how the presence of microplastics affects copper bioaccessibility and toxicity during in vitro digestion, testing naturally weathered particles as a realistic exposure model. Microplastics altered the bioaccessible fraction of copper, with implications for how co-ingested metals behave in the human gut.

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

Effects of particle size and aging on heavy metal adsorption by polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics under varying environmental conditions

This study found that smaller and weathered microplastics absorb significantly more lead and copper from water than larger or newer particles. Since microplastics in the real world are constantly aging and breaking into smaller pieces, they may become increasingly effective at concentrating toxic metals that can then enter the food chain and potentially affect human health.

2024 Chemosphere 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of Cu2+ by UV aged polystyrene in aqueous solution

UV-aged polystyrene microplastics showed altered surface chemistry and enhanced adsorption of copper ions compared to virgin particles, with the degree of adsorption increasing with aging duration. The findings indicate that environmental weathering transforms microplastics into more potent heavy metal carriers, intensifying their role as pollutant vectors.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Role of Polystyrene Microplastics in Cu Binding in Sea Surface Waters: An Experimental Perspective for Future Research

The role of polystyrene microplastics in binding copper (Cu) and altering its environmental mobility and toxicity was investigated, finding that microplastics can both adsorb and release copper depending on environmental conditions. This has implications for how microplastics modulate heavy metal hazards in contaminated environments.

2025 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced copper adsorption by polyamide and polylactic acid microplastics: The role of biofilm development and chemical aging

Researchers studied how chemical aging and biofilm growth on polyamide and polylactic acid microplastics changed their ability to absorb copper from water. Both processes significantly increased the surface area and chemical reactivity of the plastics, making them absorb substantially more copper than fresh microplastics. The study suggests that as microplastics age and develop biofilms in natural waterways, they become increasingly effective at concentrating heavy metals, potentially altering how these contaminants move through aquatic environments.

2025 Environmental Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption properties and mechanism of Cu(Ⅱ) on virgin and aged microplastics in the aquatic environment

This study examined how UV aging of polyamide (PA) and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics affects their ability to adsorb copper (Cu II) from water. UV aging increased surface area and altered surface chemistry, making aged microplastics better carriers of copper contamination — raising concerns that weathered plastics in the environment may concentrate and transport heavy metals more effectively than fresh plastics.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Speciation and release risk of heavy metals bonded on simulated naturally-aged microplastics prepared from artificially broken macroplastics

Researchers investigated heavy metal speciation and release risk from naturally aged microplastics in simulated saltwater and gastrointestinal solutions, finding that different metals varied in adsorption capacity and release behavior, posing potential risks to both ecosystems and human health.

2021 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption behavior of Cu(II) on UV-aged polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene microplastics in aqueous solution

Researchers studied how UV aging changes the ability of PET and polypropylene microplastics to adsorb copper ions from water. UV exposure altered the surface properties of both plastics, increasing their capacity to bind heavy metals compared to pristine particles. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in the environment may be more effective at concentrating toxic metals, potentially increasing ecological risks in contaminated waterways.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollutant adsorption on microplastic and its release during digestion processes

Researchers investigated the adsorption of copper and PFAS onto polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene microplastics and examined the subsequent release of these contaminants during simulated digestion processes. The study aimed to clarify the role of microplastics as vectors that increase contaminant bioavailability in marine biota.

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

Adsorption properties and influencing factors of Cu(II) on polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in seawater

Researchers investigated how polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics adsorb copper ions in seawater, characterizing adsorption kinetics and influencing factors to understand microplastics' role as vectors for heavy metal pollutants in marine environments.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 126 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Different Aging Methods on the Heavy Metal Adsorption Capacity of Microplastics

Polystyrene and polylactic acid microplastics were aged under UV and high-temperature conditions, and aged microplastics showed altered surface properties that affected their adsorption capacity for heavy metals cadmium, copper, and zinc.

2024 Land Degradation and Development 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of polyethylene and polyurethane microplastics and their adsorption behavior on Cu2+ and Fe3+ in environmental matrices

Researchers characterized polyethylene and polyurethane microplastics and measured their ability to adsorb heavy metals, finding that both types can bind copper and iron ions from water — raising concern that microplastics may act as carriers that transport toxic metals deeper into aquatic ecosystems and food chains.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption and Desorption Behavior of Microplastics on Copper Ions in Aqueous Solution

This study investigated how microplastics of different types and surface chemistry adsorb and release copper ions in water. The findings show that microplastics can pick up and later release heavy metals depending on environmental conditions, acting as vectors that transport toxic metals through aquatic ecosystems.

2023 Academic Journal of Materials & Chemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption behavior of UV aged microplastics on the heavy metals Pb(II) and Cu(II) in aqueous solutions

Researchers examined how UV aging affects the adsorption of lead and copper onto polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene microplastics, finding that aging creates new oxidation functional groups that enhance heavy metal adsorption capacity.

2022 Chemosphere 130 citations
Article Tier 2

Interfacial interactions between colloidal polystyrene microplastics and Cu in aqueous solution and saturated porous media: Model fitting and mechanism analysis

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with copper in water and in saturated porous media like soil. They found that microplastics have strong adsorption capacity for copper through electrostatic and chemical bonding, and that copper can inhibit microplastic transport while microplastics may facilitate copper transport through a carrying effect. The findings suggest that interactions between microplastics and heavy metals can significantly influence how both pollutants move through groundwater systems.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on Adsorption of Heavy Metals Cu and Zn by Microplastics Under Different Aged Factors

Researchers examined how aging of polyethylene microplastics under different conditions -- varying pH, dissolved organic matter, and hydrogen peroxide -- affects their adsorption of Cu and Zn, finding that H2O2-induced aging most strongly enhanced heavy metal sorption capacity.

2023 E3S Web of Conferences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling Complexation and Contaminant Vector Potential in Aged Polyamide-Heavy Metal Interactions

Researchers found that heat-aged polyamide microplastics exhibit enhanced adsorption capacity for cadmium and copper compared to virgin material, with copper showing higher adsorption efficiency due to its smaller hydrated ionic radius and strong coordination with oxygen- and nitrogen-containing surface groups on the aged polymer.

2025 ACS Omega
Article Tier 2

Effects of biofilm on metal adsorption behavior and microbial community of microplastics

Researchers found that biofilm development on polystyrene microplastics enhanced their ability to adsorb copper and lead more than UV aging alone, with biofilm altering both the adsorption mechanisms and microbial community composition on the plastic surfaces.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 125 citations
Article Tier 2

How do polystyrene microplastics affect the adsorption of copper in soil?

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect the behavior of copper in soil, finding that the plastics reduced copper adsorption by 3 to 16 percent while increasing its release. The microplastics blocked active binding sites on soil particles and lacked the functional groups needed to hold copper in place. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated soils could make heavy metals more mobile and potentially more harmful.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into the Adsorption of Copper/Zinc Ions over Aged Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics

Researchers studied adsorption of copper and zinc ions onto aged polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics, finding that weathering substantially increases heavy metal adsorption capacity and that pH and ionic strength govern the adsorption process.

2023 5 citations