Adsorption and desorption characteristics of heavy metals onto conventional and biodegradable plastics

Biodegradable plastics have been widely used to replace conventional plastics to minimize environmental impacts of plastic packaging. However, before biodegradable plastics decompose in the environment, they could pose a threat to terrestrial and aquatic creatures by acting as vectors of contaminants in the food chain. In this study, conventional plastic bags (CPBs) made of polyethylene and biodegradable plastic bags (BPBs) made of polylactic acid were examined for their heavy metal adsorption. Effects of solution pHs and temperatures on adsorption reactions were investigated. Because of a larger BET surface area, presence of oxygen-containing function groups, and smaller crystallinity, the heavy metal adsorption capacities of BPBs are significantly larger than those of CPBs. Among Cu (up to 791.48 mg⋅kg^-1), Ni (up to 60.88 mg⋅kg^-1), Pb (up to 1414.58 mg⋅kg^-1), and Zn (up to 295.17 mg⋅kg^-1), Pb and Ni show the largest and the lowest extents of adsorption onto the plastic bags, respectively. In the different waterbodies in nature, Pb adsorption on the CPBs and the BPBs were 318.09-379.91 and 528.41-764.22 mg⋅kg^-1, respectively. Consequently, Pb was selected as the target contaminant in the desorption experiments. After Pb was adsorbed onto the CPBs and the BPBs, Pb could be completely desorbed and released into simulated digestive systems in 10 h. In conclusion, BPBs could be potential vectors of heavy metals, and their suitability as a substitute for CPBs must be thoroughly investigated and confirmed.