Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

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.

2024
Article Tier 2

Mechanism analysis of heavy metal lead captured by natural-aged microplastics

The mechanism by which naturally aged microplastics capture lead (Pb(II)) from aqueous solution was investigated by comparing pristine and aged particles. Aged microplastics adsorbed more Pb(II) than pristine ones, with weathering-induced surface oxidation and increased oxygen-containing functional groups driving the enhanced metal capture capacity.

2020 Chemosphere 242 citations
Article Tier 2

Features of Heavy Metals Sorption by Microplastics in Environmentally Relevant Conditions

Experiments using aged PET microplastics in natural lake water showed that the particles sorb heavy metals (cobalt, nickel, copper, cadmium, lead) in environmentally relevant concentrations, but the sorption isotherms differed from those measured in synthetic laboratory solutions. This matters because microplastics acting as vectors for heavy metals in real freshwater conditions could increase metal bioavailability and toxicity to aquatic life and potentially to humans who drink the water.

2023 Water Resources 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics aged in various environmental media exhibited strong sorption to heavy metals in seawater

Researchers aged six types of microplastics — including polyamide and PET — in different environments and then measured their adsorption of heavy metals in seawater, finding that aging consistently increased metal sorption capacity and that environmental medium during aging strongly influenced the degree of surface modification.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 178 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the adsorption behavior of Zn(II) on UV-aged PET and PP microplastics: kinetic and isotherm analyses

This study examined how UV aging changes the ability of PET and polypropylene microplastics to adsorb zinc from water. Researchers found that UV exposure over 30 days increased surface roughness and oxygen-containing functional groups on the plastics, significantly enhancing their capacity to bind zinc ions, which suggests that weathered microplastics in the environment may carry higher concentrations of heavy metals.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The adsorption behavior of metals in aqueous solution by microplastics effected by UV radiation

Virgin and UV-aged PET microplastics were compared for their sorption capacity of copper and zinc ions, with aged microplastics showing higher adsorption due to increased surface area and oxygen-containing functional groups formed during photoaging. The study demonstrates that environmental weathering enhances the metal-carrying potential of microplastics over time.

2019 Journal of Environmental Sciences 465 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

How do microplastics adsorb metals? A preliminary study under simulated wetland conditions

Researchers investigated how different plastic polymer types adsorb metals under conditions simulating the Poyang Lake wetland environment, including sediment, water chemistry, and organic matter. Adsorption capacity varied substantially between polymer types, with aged and weathered plastics showing higher metal uptake than pristine particles, and wetland-specific chemistry influencing adsorption mechanisms.

2022 Chemosphere 43 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 X-Ray Spectrometry 1 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
Article Tier 2

Changes in metal adsorption ability of microplastics upon loss of calcium carbonate filler masterbatch through natural aging

Researchers found that natural outdoor aging of polypropylene and polyethylene woven bags caused loss of calcium carbonate filler, altering surface chemistry and significantly changing the microplastics' ability to adsorb metals from surrounding environments.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
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

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

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

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

[Effects of Aging on the Cd Adsorption by Microplastics and the Relevant Mechanisms].

This study examined how aging affects the ability of microplastics — including polyethylene and polystyrene — to adsorb the heavy metal cadmium. Weathered microplastics showed different adsorption behavior than virgin particles, which has implications for how microplastics transport toxic metals through aquatic environments.

2022 PubMed 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as an emerging anthropogenic vector of trace metals in freshwater: Significance of biofilms and comparison with natural substrates

Scientists placed virgin polystyrene microplastics in a eutrophic urban lake and a drinking water reservoir for four weeks to allow biofilm development, then measured trace metal accumulation, finding that biofilm-coated microplastics accumulated significantly more metals than virgin plastics or natural substrates.

2020 Water Research 301 citations
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

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

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

Behavior and mechanism of atrazine adsorption on pristine and aged microplastics in the aquatic environment: Kinetic and thermodynamic studies

Researchers systematically explored how the pesticide atrazine adsorbs onto both pristine and aged microplastics in aquatic environments. The study found that aged microplastics had higher adsorption capacities than pristine ones, with the aging process and pH significantly affecting surface charge and adsorption behavior, suggesting that weathered microplastics may carry greater loads of chemical contaminants.

2021 Chemosphere 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Retention of ZnO nanoparticles onto polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics: Aging-associated interactions and the role of aqueous chemistry

Researchers investigated how zinc oxide nanoparticles attach to polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics under different water chemistry conditions. They found that UV-aged microplastics retained significantly more nanoparticles than fresh ones, and water pH and natural organic matter influenced the interaction. The study suggests that weathered microplastics in the environment are more effective at carrying metal contaminants, potentially increasing ecological risks.

2024 Environmental Pollution 20 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

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.

2023 Chemical Engineering Journal 123 citations