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

•Sources of microplastics (MPs) are usually linked to anthropogenic activities.•The weathering rate of MPs is usually lower in water than on land.•The chemical structure of MPs, oxygen and temperature, control MP weathering.•Surface modification of weathered MPs affects their environmental behavior....

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Published in:Water research (Oxford) Vol. 196; p. 117011
Main Authors: Duan, Jiajun, Bolan, Nanthi, Li, Yang, Ding, Shiyuan, Atugoda, Thilakshani, Vithanage, Meththika, Sarkar, Binoy, Tsang, Daniel C.W., Kirkham, M.B.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.05.2021
Subjects:
Adsorption
Aggregation
Aging
aquatic environment
heat
Influence factors
Microplastics
Physicochemical property
Plastics
soil
solid wastes
Sorption
surface area
temperature
wastewater
water
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Weather
Aggregation
Sorption
Aging
Microplastics
Influence factors
Physicochemical property
ISSN:0043-1354, 1879-2448, 1879-2448
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:•Sources of microplastics (MPs) are usually linked to anthropogenic activities.•The weathering rate of MPs is usually lower in water than on land.•The chemical structure of MPs, oxygen and temperature, control MP weathering.•Surface modification of weathered MPs affects their environmental behavior.•MP weathering in soils and sediments needs further research. 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. [Display omitted]
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ISSN:0043-1354
1879-2448
1879-2448
DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2021.117011