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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Chemical and physical changes of microplastics during sterilization by chlorination
ClearDisinfection impacts: Effects of different disinfection treatments on common polymer types to guide the identification of polymers of concern in the water industry
Researchers tested how common water disinfection methods, including chlorination and chloramination, affect seven types of plastic particles at different doses and pH levels. They found that both treatments caused measurable physical and chemical changes to the polymers, with some plastics showing significant surface degradation and chemical alterations. The findings suggest that water treatment processes may unintentionally transform microplastics in ways that could affect their environmental behavior and potential health impacts.
Effects of photochlorination on the physicochemical transformation of polystyrene nanoplastics: Mechanism and environmental fate
Researchers studied how sunlight combined with chlorine in water treatment changes the properties of polystyrene nanoplastics. They found that solar irradiation significantly accelerated the chemical breakdown of the nanoplastics, including surface oxidation and the release of organic compounds. The study reveals that nanoplastics leaving wastewater treatment plants undergo rapid transformation in the environment, which could alter both their fate and toxicity.
Comparison of chlorination resistance of biodegradable microplastics and conventional microplastics during the disinfection process in water treatments
This study compared the chlorination resistance of biodegradable microplastics (PLA, PHA) and conventional microplastics (PE, PP, PS) at water-treatment-relevant chlorine concentrations, finding that biodegradable plastics are more susceptible to chlorination-induced structural changes.
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.
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.
Quantifying the effects of chlorine disinfection on microplastics by time-resolved inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry
Researchers used time-resolved mass spectrometry to measure how chlorine disinfection during water treatment chemically modifies microplastics. They found that about half of polystyrene microplastics became chlorinated at typical treatment doses, and that UV pre-treatment increased their reactivity to chlorine. Cell viability tests revealed that chlorinated microplastics caused significantly higher rates of cell death in human cell lines, suggesting that water treatment processes may inadvertently make microplastics more toxic.
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.
Comprehensive assessment of chlorination disinfection on microplastic-associated biofilms
Researchers tested how well chlorine disinfection works against biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces in water. They found that while chlorination effectively killed bacteria on the microplastics, some resistant species survived and the process altered the microbial community structure. The findings suggest that microplastics in water systems may harbor bacteria that are harder to eliminate through standard disinfection methods.
Chlorination-improved adsorption capacity of microplastics for antibiotics: A combined experimental and molecular mechanism investigation
Researchers found that when microplastics go through chlorine disinfection in water treatment plants, they become better at absorbing antibiotics like tetracycline. Chlorination changes the surface of polystyrene microplastics, making them stickier for these drugs through stronger chemical bonding. This means treated wastewater may contain microplastics loaded with antibiotics, potentially increasing health risks when released into the environment.
Changes in physical and chemical properties of microplastics by ozonation
Researchers examined how ozone treatment in water systems changes the physical and chemical properties of six common types of microplastics. They found that ozonation altered surface roughness, wettability, and chemical composition of the plastics, with some types being more affected than others. The findings are important because these changes could influence how microplastics interact with other pollutants and organisms in treated water.
Studying the Degradation of Three Polymers under Different Chlorine Concentrations and Exposure Times
Researchers studied the degradation of PVC, high-density polyethylene, and polypropylene when exposed to chlorine solutions used in swimming pools and water treatment plants. The study found that the degree of material wear depended on both chlorine concentration and exposure time, with different polymers showing varying susceptibility to chlorine-induced degradation.
Chlorine disinfection elevates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics to human cells by inducing mitochondria-dependent apoptosis
Researchers found that chlorine disinfection treatment of polystyrene microplastics, simulating drinking water processing, significantly increased their toxicity to human gastric cells. The chlorinated particles generated carbon-chlorine bonds and persistent free radicals on their surfaces, leading to enhanced cell death through mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathways. The study suggests that microplastics in treated drinking water may pose greater health risks than their pristine counterparts.
Modifications to sorption and sinking capability of microplastics after chlorination
Researchers found that chlorination disinfection at both low and high doses modified the surface chemistry of PE, PET, PS, and PVC microplastics, increasing surface area and reducing hydrophobicity while weakening their capacity to sorb contaminants like ciprofloxacin. The study concluded that chlorination generally reduces the role of microplastics as transport vectors for organic pollutants, though effects on buoyancy varied by polymer type.
Photochlorination-induced degradation of microplastics and interaction with Cr(VI) and amlodipine
Researchers found that photochlorination during wastewater disinfection significantly degrades polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene microplastics while altering their interactions with co-existing pollutants like chromium and pharmaceuticals, potentially affecting environmental fate.
Effects of chlorination on microplastics pollution: Physicochemical transformation and chromium adsorption
Researchers found that chlorination of polyethylene and thermoplastic polyurethane microplastics significantly altered their surface morphology and oxygen-containing functional groups, enhancing their ability to aggregate and adsorb chromium contaminants in water.
Review: Disinfection impacts: Effects of different disinfection treatments on common polymer types to guide the identification of polymers of concern in the water industry — R0/PR3
A review of disinfection impacts on seven polymer types found that chlorination and chloramination most affected polypropylene, expanded polystyrene, and polyamide, with surface morphological changes and carbonyl group formation observed, marking these polymers as most susceptible in water treatment systems.
The impact of chlorination on the tetracycline sorption behavior of microplastics in aqueous solution
Researchers found that chlorination, a common disinfection step in wastewater treatment, alters the surface chemistry of microplastics and changes their capacity to adsorb tetracycline antibiotics, with chlorinated microplastics showing modified sorption behavior that affects their role as antibiotic carriers.
Impact of treatment chemicals on the morphology and molecular structure of microfibers and microplastic films in wastewater
Researchers exposed microfibers and microplastic films to common wastewater treatment chemicals (sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, calcium hydroxide) and found that these treatments cause significant morphological and molecular structural changes to plastic particles.
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.
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.
Recommendation: Disinfection impacts: Effects of different disinfection treatments on common polymer types to guide the identification of polymers of concern in the water industry — R2/PR12
Researchers tested the effects of chlorination and chloramination on seven polymer types at varying doses and pH to identify which plastics used in water infrastructure are most vulnerable to disinfection processes. Polypropylene, expanded polystyrene, and polyamide were most affected by surface changes and chemical bond cleavage, identifying them as polymers of concern for the water industry.
Ultraviolet-C and vacuum ultraviolet inducing surface degradation of microplastics
Researchers studied how UV-C and vacuum ultraviolet irradiation affect the surfaces of four common microplastic types during water disinfection. They found that standard UV doses used in wastewater treatment had little effect, but higher doses caused significant surface cracking, chemical bond breakdown, and changes in hydrophobicity. The study suggests that UV disinfection in wastewater plants can alter microplastic surface properties, which may affect how these particles interact with pollutants and organisms downstream.
Recommendation: Disinfection impacts: Effects of different disinfection treatments on common polymer types to guide the identification of polymers of concern in the water industry — R0/PR4
Chlorination and chloramination of seven polymer types showed that polypropylene, expanded polystyrene, and polyamide were most affected by disinfection treatments across three pH conditions, identifying these as polymers of concern for microplastic generation within water infrastructure.
Volatile organic compounds generation pathways and mechanisms from microplastics in water: Ultraviolet, chlorine and ultraviolet/chlorine disinfection
Researchers examined how UV, chlorine, and combined UV/chlorine disinfection treatments cause microplastics to release volatile organic compounds, identifying distinct degradation pathways for polypropylene, polystyrene, and PVC that generate diverse chemical byproducts in treated water.