Sorption of three synthetic musks by microplastics

Microplastics and synthetic musks (SMs) are two typical organic pollutants in the marine environment. In this study, the sorption of three SMs to microplastics in a simulated seawater environment was examined. Tonalide (AHTN), musk xylene (MX), and musk ketone (MK) were the musks investigated, while polypropylene (PP) was used as the microplastic. It was found that the equilibrium sorption time was about 10h and the adsorption kinetics model conformed to a Lagergren adsorption model. The adsorption capacity increased with decreasing particle size. Adsorption reached a peak at 25°C, and the adsorption capacity was not sensitive to the concentration of sodium chloride. There is a need for more research and monitoring of microplastics in the marine environment due to their strong ability to absorb organic pollutants.