Adsorption of highly toxic chlorophenylacetonitriles on typical microplastics in aqueous solutions: Kinetics, isotherm, impact factors and mechanism

Evaluating Powdered Activated Carbon for Adsorption of Nitrogenous Organics in Water Using HDPairFinder

Amino-containing compounds are key precursors to highly toxic nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and odorous DBPs, posing a critical challenge for drinking water utilities. This study systematically evaluated the adsorption performance of six commercial powdered activated carbons (PACs) for removing soluble amino-containing compounds using amino acids as model compounds. Among them, PHF and AN PAC demonstrated superior removal efficiencies for six tested amino acids, ranging from 77 to 98% for PHF PAC and 83 to 96% for AN PAC. Subsequent analysis focused on PHF, AN, and HB PACs to investigate adsorption kinetics and effects of water parameters, including initial amino acid concentration, pH, and natural organic matter (NOM) on removal efficiencies. Optimal removal efficiencies were observed for PHF and AN PACs at pH levels between 6 and 8, while increased NOM levels significantly reduced amino acid adsorption. Finally, a hydrogen/deuterium isotopic labeling-based nontargeted analysis was applied to evaluate the removal of amino-containing compounds from source water (represented by Suwannee River standard reference materials). PHF exhibited the highest removal efficiency, achieving a 47% reduction in the total ion chromatogram (TIC) intensity of labeled amino-containing features, followed by AN at 21% and HB at 19%. The decrease in the TIC intensity and number of labeled amino-containing features aligned with the trends observed in adsorption, establishes a consistent ranking of PHF > AN > HB PAC. PAC can be seamlessly integrated into existing drinking water treatment processes and applied on an as-needed basis. Our results could provide valuable guidance for its effective application in water treatment plants.

Sorption behavior of oxytetracycline on microplastics and the influence of environmental factors in groundwater: Experimental investigation and molecular dynamics simulation

Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotics can enter groundwater through the interaction of soil and surface water, and MPs as carriers of antibiotics can promote the migration of antibiotics and thus generate more serious ecological risks. Therefore, this paper used experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods to investigate the sorption between four common types of MPs in groundwater, namely polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene (PE), and oxytetracycline (OTC) with high detection rate in groundwater. Additionally, the impact of environmental factors on sorption was examined. The sorption kinetics of the four types of MPs followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and the sorption isotherms of OTC on PA, PE, and PVC were highly linear, suggesting that the electrostatic interaction was the main sorption mechanism. Both experimental and simulation results indicated that PA had the highest affinity for OTC, due to the effect of the formation of hydrogen bonding between the amide groups of PA and OTC. The primary way pH affected sorption was by altering the form in which OTC exists. The effects of the representative substances of protein-like component (bovine serum albumin) and humus-like component (humic acid) in dissolved organic matter varied but were generally inhibitory. Ions could influence the sorption process by competitive sorption or forming complexes with the OTC.

Combined toxic effects of polystyrene microplastic and benzophenone-4 on the bioaccumulation, feeding, growth, and reproduction of Daphniamagna

The potential toxicity of microplastics (MPs) and UV filter Benzophenone-4 (BP4) to aquatic organisms has caused widespread concern among the public. However, the combined effects of MPs and BP4 on aquatic organisms are not well understood. This study sought to examine the combined impacts of 10 μg/L BP4, 1 mg/L Polystyrene (PS, 10 μm), and a mixture of both on the feeding, behavior, growth, and reproduction of Daphnia magna (D. magna) over a period of 21 days. The results showed that the combined exposure led to a reciprocal facilitation of bioaccumulation, along with a decrease in the second antenna beats frequency in D. magna. While the co-exposure did not change the body size or growth rate of D. magna, it did affect their feeding efficiency, leading to a decrease in Chlorella ingestion within a 24-h period. Furthermore, there was a high occurrence of malformations in two generations of D. magna exposed to BP4 and PS. The combined exposure also negatively affected reproductive parameters, such as the cumulative number of neonates and the days of first brood, suggesting a decline in overall reproductive success possibly due to feeding inhibition, with available energy potentially being redistributed between reproduction and growth in the daphnids. Co-exposure to BP4 and PS also led to elevated levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Malonydialdehyde (MDA), and Glutathione (GSH) levels, as well as mRNA levels related to reproduction, growth, and detoxification in D. magna. Overall, this study delved into the consequences of BP4 and PS on bioaccumulation, feeding, behavior, growth, and reproduction, demonstrating that simultaneous exposure to BP4 and PS could pose a synergistic ecological hazard, potentially threatening aquatic organisms. These findings are critical and should be taken into account for accurate environmental risk assessments.

The Sword of Damocles: Microplastics and the molecular dynamics of sulfamonomethoxine revealed

In recent years, the environmental impact of microplastics (MPs) and antibiotics (ATs) as pollutants cannot be ignored. In order to evaluate the carrier effect of MPs in the aqueous environment, three MPs, polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), were selected in this study, and their structures were analyzed by means of characterization. A preliminary description of their interactions with sulfamonomethoxine was carried out by adsorption kinetics and isotherm fitting. The dominance of non-bonding capacity (van der Waals and electrostatic interaction forces) in the adsorption process was demonstrated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT), with the interaction strengths ranked as PA > PE > PET, respectively. PA is less adsorbent stable at the molecular level but exhibits the largest adsorption capacity influenced by the characterized structure and multiple interaction forces. PET possesses a stronger stability and is not easily replaced by other substances. This will help to further understand the complex effect mechanism between MPs and organic pollutants, and provide an important reference for the prevention and control of environmental pollution.

Coagulation performance and mechanism of different hydrolyzed aluminum species for the removal of composite pollutants of polyethylene and humic acid

Microplastics (MPs) and natural organic matter (NOM) composite pollutants have become emerging contaminants with potential threats. Coagulation has been widely used to remove MPs and NOM, but the underlying mechanisms for the removal of MPs-NOM composite pollutants by hydrolyzed Al species remain unclear. Therefore, the coagulation performance and mechanism of AlCl3, polyaluminum chloride with basicity of 2.2 (PAC22), and PAC25 in treating polyethylene (PE), humic acid (HA), and PE-HA composite systems were systematically investigated. The results showed that in the single PE system, PAC25 with hexagonal clusters achieved the maximum removal (68.09 %) (pH: 5, dosage: 0.5 mM) since adsorption bridging and sweeping effect were the main mechanisms for PE removal. The adsorption of HA on the PE surface enhanced its hydrophilicity and electrostatic repulsion, resulting in decreased PE removal. In the AlCl3-PE-HA system, the oligomeric Al first interacted with the -COOH and C-OH of HA through complexation, followed by the meso- and polymers of Al interacted with PE by electrostatic adsorption. The pre-formed medium polymeric Al species (Alb) and colloidal or solid Al species (Alc) in PAC22 and PAC25 formed complexes with the -OH and -COOH groups of HA, respectively, and then removed PE by adsorption bridging and sweeping effect.

Adsorption of azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin onto degradable and non-degradable microplastics: Performance and mechanism

Microplastics (MPs) exist after agricultural operations and thus present potential hazards to the environment and human health. However, the ecological risks posed by MPs carrying pesticides remain unclear. In this study, the adsorption and desorption behaviors of two pesticides, azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin, on degradable and non-degradable MPs of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and polyethylene (PE) were compared before and after UV aging. Additionally, the bioaccessibility of MPs carrying pesticides within a condition simulating gastrointestinal fluids was evaluated. The results showed that, after UV aging, the adsorption capacity of PBAT for pesticides decreased, while that of PE increased. Moreover, PBAT possessed higher adsorption ability towards both the pesticides due to its higher specific surface area, pore volume, contact angle, and lower crystallinity, as well as stronger van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding indicated by theoretical calculation. Bioaccessibility experiments showed that azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin had a higher risk of desorption from PBAT than PE, which is mainly dependent on the LogKow of pesticides according to the random forest analysis. In brief, the study highlights the potential risks of degradable MPs carrying pesticides to human health and the ecosystem, especially when compared to their non-degradable counterparts, manifesting that the ecological risk posed by degradable MPs should not be ignored.