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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Interfacial Interactions of Uranium and Arsenic with Microplastics: From Field Detection to Controlled Laboratory Tests
ClearUranium accumulation in environmentally relevant microplastics and agricultural soil at acidic and circumneutral pH
Researchers examined how uranium interacts with high-density polyethylene microplastics and agricultural soil at different pH levels. The study found that while soil rapidly removed most aqueous uranium, microplastics accumulated measurable amounts of uranium over time, raising concerns about microplastics acting as carriers for radioactive contaminants in the environment.
The interaction of two emerging pollutants, radionuclides and microplastics: In-depth thermodynamic studies in water, seawater, and wastewater
Laboratory experiments measured how polyurethane and polylactic acid microplastics adsorb radioactive uranium and americium from water under conditions mimicking seawater and wastewater. The results show that microplastics can accumulate radionuclides from contaminated water environments, raising the possibility that plastic particles could act as unexpected carriers of radioactive contamination through aquatic food webs.
[Adsorption Characteristics of Arsenic on UV-aged Polypropylene Microplastics in Aqueous Solution].
This study examined how UV weathering (aging) changes the ability of polypropylene microplastics to adsorb arsenic from water, finding that aged plastic had rougher surfaces and more oxygen-containing groups, which enhanced arsenic adsorption. Environmental factors like pH and dissolved organic matter also influenced how much arsenic stuck to the plastic. Because aged microplastics bind more arsenic, they could carry this toxic heavy metal into aquatic food webs more effectively than pristine plastic particles.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics as radionuclide (U-232) carriers: Surface alteration matters the most
Researchers investigated how surface alteration of PET microplastics affects their ability to carry radioactive uranium-232. The study found that biofilm formation on PET surfaces dramatically increased radionuclide adsorption efficiency compared to pristine plastic, suggesting that environmentally weathered microplastics may play a more significant role in transporting radioactive contaminants through aquatic systems.
The Interaction of Two Emerging Pollutants, Radionuclides and Microplastics: In-Depth Thermodynamic Studies in Water, Seawater, and Wastewater
This study examined how two radioactive isotopes — uranium-232 and americium-241 — interact with polyurethane and polylactic acid microplastics in freshwater, seawater, and wastewater under varying pH and temperature conditions. Microplastics were found to adsorb both radionuclides, with temperature and pH strongly influencing the binding, though natural water chemistry reduced adsorption efficiency significantly. The findings raise concern that microplastics in nuclear-adjacent or contaminated water bodies could act as carriers, concentrating and potentially transporting radioactive pollutants through aquatic systems.
Interface adsorption characteristics of microplastics on multiple morphological arsenic compounds
Researchers studied how polystyrene and PET microplastics adsorb different forms of arsenic, a toxic element commonly found in contaminated water. They found that polystyrene had a much higher capacity to bind arsenic compounds than PET, and that the arsenic-loaded microplastics were more toxic to organisms than either pollutant alone. The study highlights that microplastics can act as carriers for toxic heavy metals, amplifying their environmental harm.
Distribution, Sources, and Heavy Metal Interactions of Microplastics in Groundwater and Sediment of Semi‐Arid Regions of Northwest India
Researchers found microplastics at every sampling location in groundwater and sediment in a semi-arid region of northwest India, with concentrations reaching up to 122 particles per liter in well water. The groundwater also contained dangerously high levels of arsenic and manganese, and while a direct link between microplastics and heavy metals was not confirmed in water samples, electron microscopy showed heavy metal particles attached to microplastic surfaces in sediment.
Effect and mechanism of coexistence of microplastics on arsenate adsorption capacity in water
Researchers examined how the presence of microplastics affects the ability of different materials to adsorb arsenate from contaminated water. They found that microplastics can interfere with the adsorption process, particularly by competing for binding sites on adsorbent materials like ZIF-8. The study highlights that co-contamination of water with both microplastics and heavy metals may complicate pollution remediation efforts.
Influence of microplastics on nutrients and metal concentrations in river sediments
Researchers investigated how microplastics influence nutrient and metal concentrations in river sediments, finding that microplastics alter the distribution of pollutants through their capacity to adsorb contaminants and support biofilm formation on their hydrophobic surfaces.
Review on the relationship between microplastics and heavy metals in freshwater near mining areas
This review synthesized knowledge on the interaction between microplastics and heavy metals in freshwater environments, covering adsorption mechanisms, combined toxicity, and the role of microplastics as metal vectors. Co-contamination was found to amplify ecological risks beyond what either stressor causes alone.
Sorption of Platinum and Palladium on Polyethylene Microplastics in Natural Water
Researchers studied for the first time how platinum and palladium metals adsorb onto polyethylene microplastics in natural lake water. The study found that both new and aged microplastics can accumulate these metals from water, even at very low concentrations, suggesting that microplastics could act as transport vectors for precious metals and pose risks to aquatic organisms.
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.
Microplastics and disposable face masks as “Trojan Horse” for radionuclides pollution in water bodies – A review with emphasis on the involved interactions
Researchers reviewed how microplastics and disposable face masks can adsorb radioactive particles (radionuclides like cesium-137 and uranium) and carry them through water environments, potentially concentrating radiation in the food chain. Key factors affecting this process include plastic type, particle size, and water chemistry, with some polymers showing adsorption partition coefficients as high as 2670 L/kg.
Partitioning of heavy metals in sediments and microplastics from stormwater runoff
Researchers studied how heavy metals distribute between sediment particles and microplastics in stormwater runoff. UV-weathered microplastics absorbed significantly more heavy metals than new plastic, competing with sediments for metal uptake. This matters because microplastics in stormwater can transport concentrated heavy metals from urban areas into rivers and lakes, creating a combined pollution problem.
Sequential interfacial contributions of microplastics to microbial adhesion and metal adsorption
Researchers uncovered the mechanistic sequence of interactions between microplastics, microorganisms, and metals in aquatic environments, finding that microbial adhesion to microplastic surfaces precedes and facilitates subsequent metal adsorption through temporal interfacial processes.
Evaluation of microplastic contamination by metals in a controlled environment: A risk to be considered
Researchers found that PET microplastics readily adsorb nickel, copper, and cobalt under controlled conditions, confirming that metal contamination of microplastics in aquatic systems represents a compounding environmental risk worth monitoring.
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.
Adsorption of trace metals by microplastic pellets in fresh water
Researchers measured the adsorption of trace metals by microplastic pellets in freshwater, finding that pellets accumulate metals from the surrounding water, potentially concentrating metals and altering their bioavailability to aquatic organisms.
Metal adsorption by microplastics in aquatic environments under controlled conditions: exposure time, pH and salinity
Scientists systematically varied pH, salinity, and exposure time during metal adsorption experiments on different microplastic types, finding that pH had the greatest influence on metal uptake, with higher pH favoring adsorption of copper, lead, and cadmium onto most tested polymers.
Microplastics meet micropollutants in a central european river stream: Adsorption of pollutants to microplastics under environmentally relevant conditions
Researchers investigated how microplastics adsorb organic micropollutants in a Central European river under real-world conditions. They found that aged microplastics showed higher adsorption capacity for contaminants compared to pristine ones, and that the type of plastic material influenced which pollutants were absorbed. The findings suggest that microplastics in rivers can act as carriers for harmful chemicals, potentially spreading contamination through aquatic ecosystems.
Long-Term Sorption of Metals Is Similar among Plastic Types: Implications for Plastic Debris in Aquatic Environments
Researchers deployed five types of common plastic in San Diego Bay for up to 12 months and measured how much metal accumulated on each type. They found that all plastics accumulated similar concentrations of metals over the long term, regardless of polymer type, suggesting that metal sorption is driven more by surface biofilm formation than by plastic chemistry. The findings indicate that any type of plastic debris in aquatic environments can become a carrier for potentially toxic metals.
Evaluating the role of microplastics as a vector in metal cycling within the River Thames
Researchers characterized how microplastics in River Thames water adsorb toxic heavy metals, comparing adsorption capacity across different plastic types and water chemistry conditions. Microplastics consistently adsorbed metals including lead, cadmium, and copper, providing the first data on metal-binding capacity for Thames microplastics and supporting their role as carriers of inorganic pollutants in urban rivers.
Adsorption of three bivalent metals by four chemical distinct microplastics
Researchers measured the sorption of copper, cadmium, and lead onto four types of microplastic particles — including chlorinated PE, PVC, and two PE variants — finding that higher crystallinity and surface area drove greater metal adsorption, and that all four plastics had different capacities for each metal.
Surface adsorption of metallic species onto microplastics with long-term exposure to the natural marine environment
Researchers deployed pre-production polyethylene pellets in the ocean following an accidental spill and recovered them after extended natural exposure, finding that the pellets accumulated a diverse range of metals from seawater, with concentrations increasing over time and varying by metal based on surface chemistry.