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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Insights into interactions of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics with heavy metals
ClearAdsorption and desorption characteristics of heavy metals onto conventional and biodegradable plastics.
This study compared how conventional polyethylene plastic bags and biodegradable polylactic acid bags adsorb heavy metals like lead and cadmium from water. Both types adsorbed significant amounts of heavy metals, suggesting that biodegradable plastics, before they decompose, can still act as vectors transporting toxic metals through aquatic food chains.
Adsorption behavior of heavy metals onto microplastics derived from conventional and biodegradable commercial plastic products
Researchers tested how well different types of microplastics, including both conventional and biodegradable plastics, absorb heavy metals like lead, nickel, copper, zinc, and cadmium from water. They found that all microplastic types could pick up significant amounts of heavy metals, with biodegradable plastics sometimes absorbing even more than conventional ones. This is concerning because microplastics carrying heavy metals could deliver a double dose of contamination to organisms that ingest them.
Biodegradable microplastics adsorb more Cd than conventional microplastic and biofilms enhance their adsorption
Researchers compared how biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional polyethylene microplastics adsorb the heavy metal cadmium, with and without biofilm development from outdoor weathering. They found that pristine PLA adsorbed significantly more cadmium than pristine PE, and that biofilms forming on weathered plastics were responsible for most of the increased cadmium uptake. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics in agricultural soils may pose a greater risk for heavy metal transport than conventional plastics.
Adsorption of heavy metals on biodegradable and conventional microplastics in the Pearl River Estuary, China
Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics absorb heavy metals in an estuary environment over 12 months. Biodegradable microplastics absorbed more copper, lead, and arsenic than conventional plastics, suggesting they may actually pose greater risks as carriers of toxic metals. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment, since they can concentrate dangerous heavy metals and potentially transfer them into the food chain.
Evaluation of microplastic contamination by metals in a controlled environment: A risk to be considered
Researchers found that polyethylene terephthalate microplastics readily adsorb nickel, copper, and zinc metals in aquatic environments, demonstrating that degraded plastics can act as carriers for metal contaminants and pose compounded environmental risks.
Aging properties of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics and their adsorption behavior of Cd(II) and Cr(VI) in aquatic environments
Researchers compared how polyethylene and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics age in the environment and how that aging affects their ability to absorb heavy metals like cadmium and chromium from water. They found that aging changed the surface chemistry of both plastic types, increasing their capacity to pick up these toxic metals. The findings matter because aged microplastics in the environment may concentrate and transport more pollutants than fresh plastic particles.
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.
Comparison of Hexavalent Chromium Adsorption Behavior on Conventional and Biodegradable Microplastics
Researchers compared hexavalent chromium adsorption behavior on conventional versus biodegradable microplastics, finding that polymer chemistry and surface aging significantly affect chromium binding capacity and the risk of co-transport in contaminated environments.
Sorption of chemical contaminants on degradable and non-degradable microplastics: Recent progress and research trends
This review compares how both biodegradable and conventional microplastics absorb chemical contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals from the environment. Researchers found that microplastics can act as carriers for hazardous chemicals, and that biodegradable plastics are not necessarily safer in this regard, as they can also concentrate and transport pollutants.
Insights into effects of drying–wetting cycles on dissolved organic matter and Cd bioavailability in riparian sediments amended with microplastics
This study examined how microplastics interact with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in riverside sediments during wet and dry cycles that mimic natural flooding conditions. Biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics increased cadmium availability more than conventional plastics, likely because they release chemical additives as they break down. The results suggest that even biodegradable plastics in soil and sediment can make heavy metal contamination worse, raising concerns about their impact on water quality and food safety.
The role of photooxidation and organic matter in Cr(III) and Cr(VI) interactions with poly(lactic acid) microplastics in aqueous solution
Researchers studied how UV exposure and organic matter influence the interaction between chromium and biodegradable poly(lactic acid) microplastics in water. They found that pristine PLA has low affinity for chromium, but the presence of organic matter like humic and tannic acids increased chromium adsorption by up to 620-fold, while UV-induced photooxidation of PLA also substantially enhanced adsorption. The study provides important insights into how environmental conditions alter the ability of biodegradable microplastics to transport heavy metals in aquatic systems.
The Hidden Crisis of Biodegradable Plastics: Polylactic Acid Microplastics Increase Soil Cd and Pb Bioavailability and Associated Human Health Risks
Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, often marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, significantly increased the availability of toxic heavy metals like cadmium and lead in agricultural soil. The PLA particles altered soil chemistry and microbial communities, leading to greater heavy metal uptake by lettuce and substantially increased health risks for humans consuming the crops.
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.
Microplastics and metals: Microplastics generated from biodegradable polylactic acid mulch reduce bioaccumulation of cadmium in earthworms compared to those generated from polyethylene
Researchers compared how microplastics from biodegradable (PLA) and conventional (polyethylene) plastic mulch interact with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in soil with earthworms. PLA microplastics absorbed much more cadmium than polyethylene, reducing the amount of this toxic metal available to earthworms. While this suggests biodegradable plastics may offer some protection against heavy metal exposure in contaminated soils, both types still contribute to microplastic pollution.
Assessment of the potential human health risk derived from metals associated to microplastics from recycled and biopolymer-based plastics
Researchers assessed the human health risk from metals associated with microplastics derived from recycled PET and polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers using oral bioaccessibility testing, finding that intrinsic metal content increased with recycling cycles and that both materials adsorbed metals from the environment, with bioaccessible metal fractions posing potential health risks.
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.
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.
Effect of biofilm colonization on Pb(II) adsorption onto poly(butylene succinate) microplastic during its biodegradation
Researchers found that biofilm colonization on biodegradable PBS microplastics during degradation increased lead adsorption roughly tenfold compared to virgin plastic, suggesting that degrading biodegradable plastics may concentrate heavy metals more effectively in aquatic environments.
Study on the Adsorption Behavior and Mechanism of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Environment before and after the Aging of Typical Microplastics
Researchers investigated the adsorption behavior and mechanisms of heavy metals by typical microplastics before and after environmental aging, finding that aging significantly alters microplastics' surface properties and capacity to bind metals such as cadmium and lead in aquatic systems.
Comparison of lead adsorption on the aged conventional microplastics, biodegradable microplastics and environmentally-relevant tire wear particles
Researchers compared how different types of aged microplastics, including tire wear particles and biodegradable polylactic acid, adsorb the heavy metal lead from water. The study found that aging significantly increased adsorption capacity across all types, with tire wear particles showing the highest lead uptake, and that environmental factors like humic acid concentration had complex effects on the adsorption process.