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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics as carriers of iron and copper nanoparticles in aqueous solution
ClearCharacterization 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.
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.
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.
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.
Copper Adsorption to Microplastics and Natural Particles in Seawater: A Comparison of Kinetics, Isotherms, and Bioavailability
Researchers compared copper adsorption onto pristine and aged microplastics versus natural particles like algae and sediments in seawater, finding that natural particles generally had higher metal-sequestering capacity, challenging the emphasis on microplastics as dominant metal-transport vectors.
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.
The potential of polyethylene microplastics to transport copper in aquatic systems: Adsorption and desorption studies
Researchers investigated the adsorption and desorption of copper (II) ions onto polyethylene microplastics in aquatic systems, varying operational parameters such as equilibrium time, pH, temperature, and initial metal concentration. They found that polyethylene microplastics can act as vectors for copper transport in water, with sorption behavior governed by multiple physicochemical factors.
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.
Promotion of DNA Adsorption onto Microplastics by Transition Metal Ions
Researchers found that transition metal ions such as copper, zinc, and iron significantly promote the adsorption of DNA onto microplastic surfaces, raising concerns about microplastics serving as vectors for genetic material in contaminated waterways.
Potential of Adsorption of Diverse Environmental Contaminants onto Microplastics
Researchers assessed the ability of four common types of microplastics to adsorb hazardous environmental contaminants including dyes and heavy metals. They found that dyes were adsorbed through physical processes while heavy metal adsorption varied by plastic type, with polystyrene showing the highest capacity for certain metals. The study confirms that microplastics can act as vectors for diverse pollutants, potentially increasing the environmental mobility and bioavailability of toxic substances.
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.
Microplastics as a vehicle of heavy metals in aquatic environments: A review of adsorption factors, mechanisms, and biological effects
This review summarizes how microplastics in water can absorb and carry toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium, making them more dangerous to aquatic life than either pollutant alone. Environmental factors such as water acidity, salinity, and organic matter influence how much metal sticks to microplastic surfaces. Since contaminated seafood is a major source of human exposure, understanding these interactions is important for assessing health risks.
Adsorption behavior of organic pollutants and metals on micro/nanoplastics in the aquatic environment
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments adsorb organic pollutants and metals onto their surfaces, effectively acting as carriers for other contaminants. Researchers found that environmental factors like pH, salinity, and aging of the plastic significantly influence this sorption behavior. The findings raise concerns that microplastics may increase the bioavailability and toxicity of chemical pollutants in waterways.
Metals' Adsorption Onto Environmental Microplastics at Shoreline Sediments
Metal adsorption onto microplastics collected from shoreline environments was measured, revealing that weathered plastic particles accumulate heavy metals like lead, copper, and zinc. The results confirm that shoreline microplastics act as metal-enriched vectors that could pose risks to organisms ingesting them.
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.
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.
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.
Adsorption characteristics of cadmium onto microplastics from aqueous solutions
Laboratory adsorption experiments characterized how cadmium is taken up by microplastics of different polymer types from aqueous solutions, finding adsorption capacity varied significantly with polymer chemistry, particle size, and solution conditions. The results help predict how microplastics in contaminated waterways accumulate and transport cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal.
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.
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.