Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Enhanced vector transport of microplastics-bound lead ions in organic matter rich water

Researchers evaluated how pristine and aged polyethylene microplastics adsorb Pb2+ ions in water under varying pH, ionic strength, contact time, Pb2+ concentration, and humic acid (HA) concentration, finding that HA enhanced lead adsorption onto aged microplastics and that maximum adsorption occurred around pH 5-6, demonstrating the vector transport potential of microplastics for lead in organic matter-rich waters.

2023 International Journal of Environmental & Analytical Chemistry 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption behavior of Pb(II) onto polyvinyl chloride microplastics affects the formation and ecological functions of microbial biofilms

Researchers found that lead sorption onto PVC microplastics significantly affected microbial biofilm formation and ecological functions, with lead-enriched microplastics altering biofilm community structure and metabolic activities in aquatic systems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of typical natural organic matter on microplastics in aqueous solution: Kinetics, isotherm, influence factors and mechanism

Researchers investigated humic acid adsorption onto PVC and PS microplastics, finding that pH, ion species, particle size, and surfactants significantly influenced adsorption capacity through mechanisms including halogen bonding, hydrogen bonding, and pi-pi interactions.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of heavy metals by biofilm-coated microplastics in aquatic environments: Mechanisms, isotherm and kinetic processes, and influencing factors

This review synthesizes research on how biofilms—microbial coatings that naturally form on microplastics in water—alter the particles' ability to absorb heavy metals like lead, copper, and cadmium, finding that biofilmed microplastics generally adsorb more metal than bare plastic and that electrostatic forces and surface complexation are the dominant mechanisms. This matters because microplastics coated in both biofilm and toxic metals may deliver a double dose of contamination to organisms that ingest them. The review identifies key gaps, including how competitive metal mixtures and shifting biofilm composition over time affect this combined pollution risk.

2026 The Science of The Total Environment
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Biofilms on Trace Metal Adsorption on Plastics in Freshwater Systems

Researchers incubated polypropylene and PET plastic debris in three freshwater bodies for 45 days to develop biofilms, then conducted batch adsorption experiments, finding that biofilm formation significantly increased trace metal adsorption capacity -- particularly for lead -- with adsorption well described by the Langmuir model.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring Humic Acid as an Efficient and Selective Adsorbent for Lead Removal in Multi-Metal Coexistence Systems: A Review

This review examines how humic acid, a natural substance found in soil and water, can selectively remove lead from water contaminated with multiple heavy metals. The research explores how to enhance humic acid's ability to capture lead ions specifically, including through chemical activation and pH control. While focused on heavy metals, the work is relevant to microplastics research because microplastics can concentrate and transport lead and other heavy metals, and better lead removal from water could reduce this combined pollution threat.

2024 Separations 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of humic acid on Pb2+ adsorption onto polystyrene microplastics from spectroscopic analysis and site energy distribution analysis

Researchers investigated how humic acid (HA) affects the adsorption of lead ions onto polystyrene microplastics, finding that higher HA concentrations promoted greater lead adsorption by acting as a bridging molecule between the plastic surface and the metal. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed that HA introduced additional adsorption sites and enhanced the surface affinity of the microplastics for lead.

2022 Scientific Reports 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake of Pb(II) onto microplastic-associated biofilms in freshwater: Adsorption and combined toxicity in comparison to natural solid substrates

This study examined how biofilms that form on microplastics in freshwater lakes affect the absorption of lead, a toxic heavy metal. Researchers found that biofilm-coated microplastics absorbed significantly more lead than bare plastic particles, and the combination of lead and microplastic biofilms was more toxic to water fleas than either pollutant alone.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 179 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of environmental conditions on the enrichment of antibiotics on microplastics in simulated natural water column

Researchers investigated how environmental ageing conditions affect the ability of microplastics to adsorb the antibiotic tetracycline, finding that pH, ionic strength, and temperature had little effect, but humic acid significantly reduced adsorption capacity. The reduction was attributed to humic acid covering plastic surfaces, altering hydrophobicity, and competing for adsorption sites via electrostatic repulsion.

2018 Environmental Research 121 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on the adherence of coexisting background organic contaminants to natural organic matter in water

Researchers examined how microplastics affect the binding of organic contaminants (PCBs and hydroxy PCBs) to humic acid in water, finding that microplastics caused contaminants to migrate from humic acid to plastic surfaces. This redistribution effect could alter the bioavailability and environmental risk of co-occurring organic pollutants.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of kinetics and mechanisms for Pb(II) sorption onto three kinds of microplastics

The sorption kinetics and mechanisms of lead (Pb(II)) onto three types of microplastics were compared to understand how plastic debris concentrates heavy metals in aquatic environments. The study found polymer-specific differences in sorption capacity and mechanism, with implications for how microplastics alter the distribution and bioavailability of lead in contaminated water.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 158 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of Organic Matter and Speciation on the Dynamics of Trace Metal Adsorption on Microplastics in Marine Conditions

Researchers evaluated how dissolved organic matter in the form of humic acid influences the adsorption dynamics of essential and toxic trace metals — including cobalt, copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, and lead — onto polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics under simulated marine conditions. The study found that humic acid altered metal speciation and reduced adsorption onto microplastic surfaces, demonstrating that natural organic matter substantially modifies the role of microplastics as trace metal vectors in the ocean.

2024 Toxics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction of microplastics with metal(oid)s in aquatic environments: What is done so far?

This review assembled the mechanisms by which microplastics sorb hazardous metals and metalloids in aquatic environments, examining how weathering, biofilm formation, and environmental conditions influence the transport and bioavailability of these contaminants.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 36 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

Enhancement of Pb(II) adsorption by aged polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in the presence of microalgae: kinetic and mechanistic

UV, permanganate, and alkaline aging treatments all increased PET microplastic adsorption capacity for lead, and Microcystis aeruginosa microalgae further enhanced Pb(II) adsorption by coating PET surfaces with organic matter, demonstrating how environmental aging and biofouling amplify MP-metal interactions.

2025 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Biofilm Formation on Polyethylene Microplastics Affects Brevetoxin Adsorption and Desorption

Researchers tested how biofilms growing on polyethylene microplastics affect the adsorption of brevetoxin, a marine neurotoxin, finding counterintuitively that biofilm-coated PE adsorbed significantly less toxin than virgin PE, and that desorption was also reduced.

2025 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Article Tier 2

The potential of microplastics as carriers of metals

Five types of microplastics were tested for their ability to adsorb heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in different water matrices, finding significant adsorption of lead, chromium, and zinc—especially on polyethylene and PVC—with surface area and porosity as key drivers. The study identifies microplastics as potential vectors for heavy metal transport and transfer through aquatic food chains.

2019 Environmental Pollution 642 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights Into the Adsorption Behavior of Polyethylene Microplastics Towards Lead(II) Ions

Researchers investigated the adsorption behavior of lead(II) ions onto polyethylene microplastics in freshwater environments by systematically varying initial Pb(II) concentration, pH, and residence time, using scanning electron microscopy and other characterization methods to elucidate the interaction dynamics and sorption mechanisms between this common metal contaminant and microplastic surfaces.

2024 Environmental Quality Management
Article Tier 2

Exaggerated interaction of biofilm-developed microplastics and contaminants in aquatic environments

Researchers found that biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces exaggerates the adsorption and vector capacity for co-contaminants in aquatic environments, with biofilm-coated MPs showing substantially higher uptake of contaminants than pristine MPs.

2023 Chemosphere 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Unique metalloid uptake on microplastics: The interaction between boron and microplastics in aquatic environment

Researchers investigated boron adsorption onto microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that aged PVC and PS particles adsorbed significantly more boron than pristine ones, with pH, humic acid, and ionic strength influencing the interaction.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactions between polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs) and humic acid influenced by aging of MPs

Researchers examined how aging affects polypropylene microplastic interactions with humic acid, finding that aged microplastics with increased surface oxygen groups showed stronger adsorption of humic acid compared to pristine particles, altering their environmental behavior.

2022 Water Research 145 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics influence the fate of antibiotics in freshwater environments: Biofilm formation and its effect on adsorption behavior

Researchers found that biofilm formation on microplastics in freshwater environments enhanced antibiotic adsorption by 24-51%, with potential pathogens detected in all biofilm communities across PVC, PA, and HDPE plastics.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 136 citations
Article Tier 2

Biofilm facilitates metal accumulation onto microplastics in estuarine waters

This study demonstrated that biofilm colonization on microplastics in estuarine waters significantly enhanced their sorption of metals such as copper and zinc, suggesting biofouling changes the contaminant-carrying capacity of plastic debris.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 241 citations