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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
10:43
High-throughput Identification of Bacteria Repellent Polymers for Medical Devices
Published on: November 5, 2016
Aging and aggregation enhance antibiotics persistence and sequestration on polyethylene microplastics.
K Shashikala1, V Sudheesh2, J Aswathi3
1School of Environmental Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, India.
Scientific Reports
|July 11, 2026
Summary
Environmental aging and aggregation of polyethylene microplastics significantly enhance the adsorption of cefixime antibiotics. This interaction influences contaminant transport and persistence in aquatic environments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Computational Chemistry
Background:
- Microplastics (MPs) act as chemically active interfaces influencing contaminant fate.
- Molecular mechanisms of antibiotic adsorption on aged MPs are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate cefixime adsorption on polyethylene (PE) microplastics.
- Elucidate the roles of polymer aggregation and environmental aging.
Main Methods:
- Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used.
- Examined cefixime adsorption on pristine and transformed PE.
Main Results:
- Pristine PE showed weak, reversible adsorption via van der Waals forces.
- Polymer aggregation enhanced retention through confined domains and reduced solvent competition.
- Environmental aging introduced functional groups, enabling electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions, strengthening adsorption.
Conclusions:
- Environmental transformation of PE microplastics significantly enhances cefixime adsorption.
- This has implications for antibiotic transport, persistence, and ecological exposure.
- Provides mechanistic insight into MP aging and aggregation effects on antibiotic interactions.
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