Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Arsenic adsorption by carboxylate and amino modified polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics: kinetics and mechanisms

Researchers found that functionalized polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics can adsorb arsenic from water, with carboxylate-modified particles showing higher capacity than amino-modified ones, and that salinity and humic acids inhibit adsorption, confirming microplastics can alter arsenic behavior in ecosystems.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 30 citations
Article Tier 2

As(III) adsorption onto different-sized polystyrene microplastic particles and its mechanism

Researchers studied how arsenic adsorbs onto polystyrene microplastic particles of different sizes prepared by ball milling. They found that smaller particles with greater surface area adsorbed more arsenic, with hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction driving the process. The study indicates that microplastics in the environment could serve as carriers for arsenic contamination, with adsorption influenced by pH, temperature, and the presence of other ions.

2019 Chemosphere 331 citations
Article Tier 2

[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.

2026 PubMed
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene and low-density polyethylene pellets are less effective in arsenic adsorption than uncontaminated river sediment

Researchers found that polystyrene and low-density polyethylene microplastic pellets adsorb significantly less arsenic than natural river sediment, suggesting microplastics may actually reduce arsenic mobility when mixed with contaminated sediments.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of As(III) by microplastics coexisting with antibiotics

This study examined how microplastics absorb arsenic, a toxic metal, from water, especially when antibiotics are also present. Smaller and more aged microplastic particles absorbed more arsenic, and environmental factors like pH and dissolved organic matter significantly changed absorption rates. This is relevant to human health because microplastics in contaminated water can concentrate toxic metals like arsenic on their surface and potentially carry them into drinking water or the food chain.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 48 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of humic and fulvic acids on polytetrafluoroethylene-adsorbed arsenic: a mechanistic study

Researchers investigated how PTFE microplastics adsorb arsenic in water in the presence of humic and fulvic acids, finding that humic acid forms π-complexes with PTFE that increase oxygen-bearing surface functional groups, substantially enhancing arsenic adsorption through hydrogen bonding and pore-filling mechanisms.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 13 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

The role of microplastics in altering arsenic fractionation and microbial community structures in arsenic-contaminated riverine sediments

The addition of microplastics to arsenic-contaminated riverine sediments altered arsenic fractionation and shifted microbial community structures, with biodegradable plastics producing different effects compared to conventional polymers. The study demonstrates that microplastics can modify the environmental behavior of co-existing toxic metals in sediment ecosystems.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on polystyrene microplastics in aquatic environments: Kinetic, isotherm and site energy distribution analysis

Polystyrene microplastics adsorbed both humic and fulvic acids from water via hydrophobic and pi-pi interactions, with humic acid showing stronger binding due to higher molecular energy sites. The results indicate that dissolved organic matter in natural waters will coat microplastic surfaces and alter their environmental behavior.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 214 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into interactions of polystyrene microplastics with different types and compositions of dissolved organic matter

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics interact with different types of dissolved organic matter, finding that fulvic acid and humic acid adsorb onto microplastics through distinct mechanisms, which influences microplastic transport and transformation in the environment.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the distribution behaviors and mechanisms of metalloid As(III) and As(V) on pipe scales in drinking water distribution systems

Researchers examined how polystyrene microplastics affect the distribution and adsorption mechanisms of arsenic species As(III) and As(V) onto pipe scales in drinking water distribution systems under varying water conditions. The study found that polystyrene microplastics competed with pipe scale surfaces for arsenic adsorption, altering the partitioning of metalloid contaminants and raising concerns about microplastic-mediated changes to drinking water quality.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastics on the Fate and Behaviour of Arsenic in the Environment and Their Significance for Drinking Water Supply

This review highlights a largely overlooked problem: microplastics in the environment can adsorb arsenic — one of the world's most dangerous water contaminants — onto their surfaces and potentially transport it to new locations or make it harder to remove during drinking water treatment. The authors call for urgent research into how the presence of microplastics affects the performance of arsenic removal technologies, since both pollutants now co-occur in water sources globally.

2023 Processes 1 citations
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

Co-transport of arsenic and micro/nano-plastics in saturated soil

Column experiments found that 100 nm nanoplastic particles reduced arsenic transport in saturated sand by adsorbing arsenic ions, while 5 micron microplastics enhanced arsenic transport through electrostatic adsorption and pore plugging, demonstrating size-dependent and opposing effects of micro- and nanoplastics on co-contaminant mobility.

2023 Environmental Research 16 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

Joint effect of nanoplastics and humic acid on the uptake of PAHs for Daphnia magna: A model study

This study examined how humic acid (a form of dissolved organic matter) modifies the bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aquatic organisms exposed to nanoplastics, finding that humic acid significantly altered the joint effects of the two complex matrices. The results indicate that natural organic matter plays an important role in regulating nanoplastic-associated chemical uptake.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 56 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

Effects of microplastic on arsenic accumulation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in a freshwater environment

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics of two sizes disrupted phospholipid membrane structure in the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, reducing its ability to accumulate and detoxify arsenic in freshwater. Smaller 100 nm particles caused greater inhibition of arsenic uptake and the detoxification pathway than 5 µm particles, indicating that nanoplastic size amplifies toxicological impacts on arsenic biogeochemical cycling.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 68 citations
Article Tier 2

New insights into the distribution and interaction mechanism of microplastics with humic acid in river sediments

Researchers found that microplastics and humic acids interact significantly in river sediments, with humic acid coating altering microplastic surface properties and affecting their distribution at different sediment depths, influencing the environmental fate and pollutant-carrying capacity of microplastics.

2022 Chemosphere 25 citations