Weathering of microplastics and interaction with other coexisting constituents in terrestrial and aquatic environments

WATER RESEARCH

卷:196

Review

Duan, Jiajun¹  Bolan, Nanthi²  Li, Yang¹  Ding, Shiyuan³  Atugoda, Thilakshani⁴  Vithanage, Meththika⁴  Sarkar, Binoy⁵  Tsang, Daniel C. W.⁶  Kirkham, M. B.⁷ 

[1] Beijing Normal Univ, Sch Environm, State Key Lab Water Environm Simulat, Key Lab Water & Sediment Sci,Minist Educ, Beijing 100875, Peoples R China

[2] Univ Newcastle, Coll Engn Sci & Environm, Global Ctr Environm Remediat, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia

[3] Tianjin Univ, Inst Surface Earth Syst Sci, Sch Earth Syst Sci, Tianjin 300072, Peoples R China

[4] Univ Sri Jayewardenepura, Fac Sci Appl, Ecosphere Resilience Res Ctr, Nugegoda 10250, Sri Lanka

[5] Univ Lancaster, Lancaster Environm Ctr, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, England

[6] Hong Kong Polytech Univ, Dept Civil & Environm Engn, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Peoples R China

[7] Kansas State Univ, Throckmorton Plant Sci Ctr, Dept Agron, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA

关键词: Microplastics;    Aging;    Influence factors;    Physicochemical property;    Aggregation;    Sorption;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.watres.2021.117011

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Weathering of microplastics (MPs, < 5 mm) in terrestrial and aquatic environments affects MP transport and distribution. This paper first summarizes the sources of MPs, including refuse in landfills, biowastes, plastic films, and wastewater discharge. Once MPs enter water and soil, they undergo different weathering processes. MPs can be converted into small molecules (e.g., oligomers and monomers), and may be completely mineralized under the action of free radicals or microorganisms. The rate and extent of weathering of MPs depend on their physicochemical properties and environmental conditions of the media to which they are exposed. In general, water dissipates heat better, and has a lower temperature, than land; thus, the weathering rate of MPs in the aquatic environment is slower than in the terrestrial environment. These weathering processes increase oxygen-containing functional groups and the specific surface area of MPs, which influence the sorption and aggregation that occur between weathered MPs and their co-existing constituents. More studies are needed to investigate the various weathering processes of diverse MPs under natural field conditions in soils, sediments, and aquatic environments, to understand the impact of weathered MPs in the environment. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

Free