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Experimental Study of the Relationship Between Particle Size and Methane Sorption Capacity in Shale
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Sorption of organic compounds by aged polystyrene microplastic particles
Thorsten Hüffer1, Anne-Katrin Weniger1, Thilo Hofmann1
1University of Vienna, Department of Environmental Geosciences and Environmental Science Research Network, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|February 8, 2018
Summary
Aging significantly alters microplastic properties, reducing their capacity to bind organic contaminants. This research clarifies how aged microplastics interact with pollutants, crucial for environmental risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
- Chemistry
Background:
- Microplastics (MPs) are environmental pollutants that age and interact with organic contaminants.
- Understanding aged MPs' sorption behavior is vital for environmental impact assessment.
- Limited data exists on how MP aging affects sorption properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of accelerated UV-aging on polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs).
- To quantify changes in organic contaminant sorption by aged PS-MPs.
- To evaluate the poly-parameter linear free-energy relationship (ppLFER) for aged MPs.
Main Methods:
- Accelerated UV-aging of polystyrene microplastics.
- Physical and chemical characterization of aged MPs (surface oxidation, microcracks).
- Sorption isotherm determination using diverse probe sorbates.
- Poly-parameter linear free-energy relationship (ppLFER) modeling and validation.
Main Results:
- UV-aging induced significant surface oxidation and microcracks in PS-MPs.
- Sorption coefficients for aged PS-MPs were up to 10 times lower than for pristine MPs.
- ppLFER modeling accurately described sorption behavior and was validated via cross-validation.
Conclusions:
- Microplastic aging profoundly alters surface properties and reduces organic contaminant sorption.
- Aged MPs pose different environmental risks compared to pristine ones.
- ppLFER modeling provides robust insights into aged MP-contaminant interactions.
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