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Adsorption of Macrolide Antibiotics by Aged Microplastics of Different Sizes: Mechanisms and Effects

Qi Li1, Jingnan Tan1, Haichao Sha1

  • 1Xi'an Key Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Ecological Health in the Yellow River Basin, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China.

Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 26, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Aging increases microplastic adsorption of antibiotics. Aged polystyrene microplastics show significantly higher capacities for macrolide antibiotics like azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin, impacting water quality.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Water Quality Research

Background:

  • Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotics are prevalent contaminants in aquatic environments.
  • The influence of natural aging on the adsorption behavior of polystyrene (PS) MPs towards macrolide antibiotics is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the adsorption behavior and mechanism of different sized PS MPs (80 and 400 μm) on macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin) after simulated natural aging.
  • To elucidate the role of aging in altering PS MP surface properties and their interaction with antibiotics.

Main Methods:

  • Simulated natural aging of PS MPs using potassium persulfate (K2S2O8).
  • Characterization of aged PS MPs using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
  • Investigation of adsorption isotherms and kinetics using macrolide antibiotics (AZI, CLA, ERY) and different sized PS MPs.

Main Results:

  • Aging increased PS MP surface roughness, cracks, pits, and pores, with enhanced C=O functional groups.
  • Adsorption capacities for aged PS MPs were significantly higher than for original MPs across all tested macrolide antibiotics.
  • Adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir model, indicating monolayer chemical adsorption.

Conclusions:

  • Natural aging substantially enhances the adsorption of macrolide antibiotics onto polystyrene microplastics.
  • Surface modifications due to aging play a crucial role in the increased adsorption affinity.
  • Findings highlight the evolving risk of microplastic-antibiotic interactions in aquatic ecosystems.
Keywords:
azithromycinclarithromycinerythromycinpolystyrenepotassium persulfate

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