Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Unveiling the optical and molecular characteristics of aging microplastics derived dissolved organic matter transformed by UV/chlor(am)ine oxidation and its potential for disinfection byproducts formation

Researchers studied how UV light and common water disinfection chemicals break down microplastics in water and found that different treatment methods produce different types of dissolved organic matter from the plastic. Some treatment combinations, particularly UV with chlorine, created byproducts that could form harmful disinfection byproducts when water is later chlorinated. This is important because it means water treatment processes might unintentionally create new toxic compounds from the microplastics already present in water.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the dynamic transformation properties of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter and its contribution to the formation of chlorination disinfection by-products

Researchers studied how dissolved organic matter released from microplastics transforms under UV light and how it contributes to the formation of harmful disinfection byproducts during water chlorination. They found that UV exposure changed the chemical composition of the microplastic-derived organic matter, affecting its reactivity during disinfection. The findings suggest that microplastics in water sources may indirectly increase the formation of potentially harmful chemicals during standard water treatment.

2024 RSC Advances 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Leaching of organic matter from microplastics and its role in disinfection by-product formation

Researchers found that microplastics leach organic matter into water that subsequently acts as a precursor for disinfection by-products during chlorination, with polystyrene MPs generating the most leachate and producing the most by-products compared to polyethylene MPs.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of microplastic polymer-derived dissolved organic matter and its potential as a disinfection byproduct precursor

UV irradiation caused polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics to leach dissolved organic matter into water, producing low-molecular-weight compounds that could react with chlorine during water treatment to form trihalomethanes, a known class of disinfection byproducts and carcinogens. The findings suggest that microplastics in source water could be a previously unrecognized precursor to harmful disinfection byproducts.

2020 Water Research 209 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of UV light on physicochemical changes in thermoplastic polyurethanes: Mechanism and disinfection byproduct formation

Researchers examined how UV light exposure changes the properties of thermoplastic polyurethane microplastics in water and whether those changes affect the formation of harmful disinfection byproducts during water chlorination. They found that UV exposure broke the plastic into smaller fragments and released soluble chemicals that significantly increased byproduct formation after chlorination. The findings suggest that aging microplastics in water systems could contribute to the creation of potentially harmful chemicals during standard water treatment.

2024 Chemosphere 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Modifications of ultraviolet irradiation and chlorination on microplastics: Effect of sterilization pattern

Researchers found that both UV irradiation and chlorination used in drinking water treatment alter the surface properties, size distribution, and chemical composition of microplastics, with combined treatments producing greater modifications and potentially increasing the release of plastic additives and adsorbed contaminants.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

UV aging of microplastic polymers promotes their chemical transformation and byproduct formation upon chlorination

Researchers studied how UV aging of different microplastic polymers affects their behavior during water chlorination treatment. They found that UV aging significantly increased the reactivity of polyamide and polyester microplastics, promoting the release of harmful organic compounds and the formation of disinfection byproducts by more than 10-fold. The study reveals that weathered microplastics in drinking water systems may generate more toxic byproducts during standard chlorination than their pristine counterparts.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the chemical transformation and organic release of polyurethane microplastics during chlorination

Scientists investigated what happens to polyurethane microplastics during water chlorination, a standard step in water treatment. They found that chlorination breaks down the plastic surface and releases organic chemicals, especially from UV-weathered particles, which produced significantly more leached compounds. The findings suggest that water treatment processes themselves may inadvertently release harmful byproducts from microplastics.

2023 Environmental Pollution 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Gaseous products generated from polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate during ultraviolet irradiation: Mechanism, pathway and toxicological analyses

Researchers identified more than 50 different volatile organic compounds released from polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics during ultraviolet irradiation in water. The study found that UV-C produced more gaseous byproducts than UV-A, and toxicological analysis suggested that some of these volatile compounds could pose risks to humans and the environment, highlighting an often-overlooked pathway of microplastic degradation.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of non-aged and UV-aged microplastics on the formation of halogenated disinfection byproducts during chlorination of drinking water and its mechanism

Researchers investigated how both new and UV-aged microplastics affect the formation of halogenated disinfection byproducts during chlorine treatment of drinking water. They found that non-aged microplastics reduced byproduct formation by adsorbing organic precursors, while UV-aged microplastics had a much smaller reduction effect because they release organic compounds that offset adsorption. The study reveals that environmental aging of microplastics changes their impact on drinking water treatment chemistry in important ways.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastics and organic matter leaching behavior during chlorination

Researchers studied how chlorination affects polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics and the organic matter they release, finding that chlorination promoted organic carbon leaching from microplastics at about 0.3 to 0.5 parts per thousand of the plastic mass. The leached organic matter showed significant potential to form trihalomethane and haloacetonitrile disinfection byproducts, raising concerns about chlorinated microplastics in drinking water systems.

2022 Chemosphere 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Transformation of microplastics during UV-LED based water disinfection: Mechanistic insights and environmental implications

Researchers investigated how UV-based water disinfection treatments transform the physical and chemical properties of common microplastics like polystyrene, polyethylene, and PVC. They found that treatment created surface cracks, reduced water repellency, and generated various breakdown compounds, some of which showed toxicity to aquatic organisms. The study highlights that while UV disinfection effectively treats pathogens, it may inadvertently create new environmental risks by altering microplastics in the water supply.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the effect of UVC-based advanced oxidation processes on the interaction of typical microplastics and their derived disinfection byproducts during disinfection

Scientists found that UV-based water treatment processes, while intended to clean drinking water, caused microplastics to release more organic matter and form more disinfection byproducts during chlorination. Up to 42% of the toxic byproducts formed were absorbed back onto the microplastic surfaces, creating contaminated particles. This concerning finding suggests that some common water treatment methods could unintentionally make microplastic contamination in drinking water more hazardous.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Leaching of organic matters and formation of disinfection by-product as a result of presence of microplastics in natural freshwaters

Researchers found that microplastics leach dissolved organic carbon into freshwater, and when combined with chlorine disinfection, this leached material promotes the formation of disinfection byproducts like chloroform in drinking water treatment.

2022 Chemosphere 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insight into the role of typical microplastics in chlorination disinfection: Precursors and adsorbents of both MP-DOM and DBPs

Chlorination of polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics released dissolved organic matter that formed disinfection by-products, with PS-MPs being more susceptible to chlorination; the study found that even small MPs in drinking water can contribute to DBP precursor loads during treatment.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of UV-based oxidation processes on the degradation of microplastic: Fragmentation, organic matter release, toxicity and disinfection byproduct formation

This study examined how UV-based water treatment processes break down microplastics, finding that while the treatments fragment the plastics into smaller pieces, they also release potentially toxic organic compounds. The smaller fragments and released chemicals may actually pose greater risks than the original microplastics. This is an important finding because it suggests that some water purification methods could unintentionally make microplastic pollution more hazardous to human health.

2023 Water Research 92 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of chlorine and UV/H2O2 on microplastics in drinking water

Using chlorine and UV/hydrogen peroxide at dosages realistic for actual drinking water treatment plants, this study assessed whether standard disinfection processes alter microplastics in tap water. The work addresses a critical public health question — whether the water treatment people rely on to make tap water safe actually removes or changes the microplastics that have been detected in treated drinking water.

2024 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential disinfection byproducts-related risks to drinking water? Molecular insights into the dissolved organic matter from photodegradation of polyethylene microplastics

This study analyzed the dissolved organic matter released during photodegradation of polyethylene microplastics, finding that sunlight exposure generates complex organic compounds that could act as precursors to disinfection byproducts in drinking water treatment. The results highlight an underappreciated pathway by which microplastics may affect drinking water safety.

2023 ACS ES&T Water 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on DBPs formation under the chlorination of natural organic matters

Researchers investigated how microplastics affect disinfection byproduct formation during chlorination of natural organic matter in water treatment, finding that the presence of microplastics can influence the generation of potentially harmful DBPs.

2022 Chemosphere 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Chlorine or UV/H2O2 on Microplastics Under Conditions Representative of Drinking Water Treatment

Researchers exposed low- and high-density polyethylene microplastics to chlorine and UV/H2O2 at drinking-water-relevant doses and found that surface changes and cytotoxicity increases reported in earlier studies occurred only at far higher doses than used in practice.

2024 TSpace