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Ozone-mediated breakdown of microplastics in aqueous environments
Markus A B Wieland1,2, Sebastian P Schwaminger3,4, Matthias Elinkmann1
1NanoMicroLab, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz Graz Austria.
Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry
|September 11, 2025
Summary
Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) using ozone can break down microplastics (MPs) but may create harmful nanoplastics (NPs). New analytical methods are crucial for assessing AOPs
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Water Treatment Technologies
- Materials Science
Background:
- Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are vital for degrading persistent pollutants, including microplastics (MPs), in wastewater.
- MPs fragment into smaller particles, increasing mobility and potential for biological uptake, posing environmental risks.
- Current understanding of AOPs' efficiency in removing MPs and nanoplastics (NPs) is limited by analytical challenges and concerns about incomplete degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the degradation of various microplastics (MPs) using ozone, a key component of AOPs.
- To assess the formation of nanoscale plastics (NPs) during ozone treatment.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of single-particle inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (SP ICP-MS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) in analyzing MP degradation and NP formation.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of primary (polystyrene, PTFE) and secondary (PMMA, PVC) MPs to ozone.
- Qualitative assessment of NP formation using dynamic light scattering (DLS).
- Quantitative analysis of MP mass reduction and transformation using single-particle inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (SP ICP-MS).
Main Results:
- Ozone exposure caused progressive mass reduction in polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) MPs.
- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) demonstrated higher resistance to ozone oxidation.
- SP ICP-MS provided detailed mass transformation data, while DLS confirmed nanoplastic formation across all tested MP types.
Conclusions:
- Ozone-based AOPs can effectively reduce MP mass but may inadvertently generate nanoplastics (NPs).
- The study highlights the critical need to assess AOP efficiency by considering the formation and characteristics of transformation products, not just particle removal.
- Combined SP ICP-MS and DLS offer valuable insights into MP degradation pathways and NP generation, crucial for optimizing wastewater treatment strategies under new regulations.
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