Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are a widely distributed pollutant and have been attracting global attention. The increasing abundance of MPs in marine environments has raised concern about their adverse effects on marine organisms and influence on the fate of contaminants in seawater. In this study, we investigated the effects of natural aging on the adsorption of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), one of the most widely used phthalic acid esters (PAEs), in two types of MPs (polyethylene and polystyrene). Biofilm was observed on the surface of MPs after 3-month exposure in seawater. Atomic force microscopy revealed there were significant physical changes in the MPs after aging. Aging in coastal seawater for 3 months significantly reduced the MPs’ surface roughness and adhesion, and increased the Young’s modulus at the same time. Adsorption isotherms of DEHP indicated that aged MPs had stronger binding capacity of the organic contaminant than pristine MPs. Our data shed some light on the biogeochemical role of MPs in marine environments.
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Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission of China (JCYJ20180507182227257, KQTD20180412181334790), the Guangxi Key R&D Program of China (GUIKE AB20297018), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 42006141), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2019A1515011630), and the Innovation Team Project of Universities in Guangdong Province (No. 2020KCXTD023) .
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Pan, K., Chen, C.C., Lin, L. et al. Adsorption of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) to microplastics in seawater: a comparison between pristine and aged particles. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 109, 776–782 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-022-03570-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-022-03570-y