Photo-aging of polyvinyl chloride microplastic in the presence of natural organic acids

Chao Wang; Zeyu Xian; Xin Jin; Sijia Liang; Zhanghao Chen; Bo Pan; Bing Wu; Yong Sik Ok; Cheng Gu

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2020.116082

Photo-aging of polyvinyl chloride microplastic in the presence of natural organic acids

Chao Wang, Zeyu Xian, Xin Jin, Sijia Liang, Zhanghao Chen, Bo Pan, Bing Wu, Yong Sik Ok, Cheng Gu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

199 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this study, a new photo-aging pathway in the aquatic environments and the underlying transformation mechanism were described for polyvinyl chloride microplastic (PVC-MP). Our results indicated that the photo-aging of PVC-MP was strongly dependent on particle size and the aging reaction could be facilitated in the presence of low-molecular-weight organic acid (LMWOA) and LMWOA-Fe(III) complex under simulated and natural sunlight irradiation and ambient conditions. The hydroxyl radical (OH•) generated from the photolysis of LMWOA or its ferric complexes played a dominant role in enhancing PVC-MP degradation. In situ Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations further confirmed that C–Cl bond cleavage and formation of polyene and carbonyl underwent on the PVC-MP surface, especially in the presence of LMWOA and LMWOA-Fe(III). Moreover, PVC-MP surface oxidation also led to the increase of the specific surface area and affinity towards water as indicated by the results of scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller tests and contact angles for water, which would further enhance the adsorption of polar contaminants on PVC-MP and thus increase the health risk of PVC-MP on aquatic organisms.

Original language	English
Article number	116082
Journal	Water Research
Volume	183
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116082
Publication status	Published - 2020 Sept 15

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was financially supported by National Science Foundation of China ( 21906079 and 21777066 ), Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Effects of plastic mulch wastes on crop productivity and agro-environment, Project No. PJ01475801 , Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea ), International Institute for Environmental Studies and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities . We thank the Analytical Center and High Performance Computing Center of Nanjing University for the characterization of samples and computational study.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Aging process
Dechlorination
Low-molecular-weight organic acid
Polyvinyl chloride microplastic
Reactive oxygen species

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Civil and Structural Engineering
Ecological Modelling
Water Science and Technology
Waste Management and Disposal
Pollution

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.watres.2020.116082

Cite this

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title = "Photo-aging of polyvinyl chloride microplastic in the presence of natural organic acids",

abstract = "In this study, a new photo-aging pathway in the aquatic environments and the underlying transformation mechanism were described for polyvinyl chloride microplastic (PVC-MP). Our results indicated that the photo-aging of PVC-MP was strongly dependent on particle size and the aging reaction could be facilitated in the presence of low-molecular-weight organic acid (LMWOA) and LMWOA-Fe(III) complex under simulated and natural sunlight irradiation and ambient conditions. The hydroxyl radical (OH•) generated from the photolysis of LMWOA or its ferric complexes played a dominant role in enhancing PVC-MP degradation. In situ Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations further confirmed that C–Cl bond cleavage and formation of polyene and carbonyl underwent on the PVC-MP surface, especially in the presence of LMWOA and LMWOA-Fe(III). Moreover, PVC-MP surface oxidation also led to the increase of the specific surface area and affinity towards water as indicated by the results of scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller tests and contact angles for water, which would further enhance the adsorption of polar contaminants on PVC-MP and thus increase the health risk of PVC-MP on aquatic organisms.",

keywords = "Aging process, Dechlorination, Low-molecular-weight organic acid, Polyvinyl chloride microplastic, Reactive oxygen species",

author = "Chao Wang and Zeyu Xian and Xin Jin and Sijia Liang and Zhanghao Chen and Bo Pan and Bing Wu and Ok, {Yong Sik} and Cheng Gu",

note = "Funding Information: This work was financially supported by National Science Foundation of China ( 21906079 and 21777066 ), Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Effects of plastic mulch wastes on crop productivity and agro-environment, Project No. PJ01475801 , Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea ), International Institute for Environmental Studies and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities . We thank the Analytical Center and High Performance Computing Center of Nanjing University for the characterization of samples and computational study. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier Ltd",

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doi = "10.1016/j.watres.2020.116082",

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AU - Wang, Chao

AU - Xian, Zeyu

AU - Jin, Xin

AU - Liang, Sijia

AU - Chen, Zhanghao

AU - Pan, Bo

AU - Wu, Bing

AU - Ok, Yong Sik

AU - Gu, Cheng

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PY - 2020/9/15

Y1 - 2020/9/15

N2 - In this study, a new photo-aging pathway in the aquatic environments and the underlying transformation mechanism were described for polyvinyl chloride microplastic (PVC-MP). Our results indicated that the photo-aging of PVC-MP was strongly dependent on particle size and the aging reaction could be facilitated in the presence of low-molecular-weight organic acid (LMWOA) and LMWOA-Fe(III) complex under simulated and natural sunlight irradiation and ambient conditions. The hydroxyl radical (OH•) generated from the photolysis of LMWOA or its ferric complexes played a dominant role in enhancing PVC-MP degradation. In situ Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations further confirmed that C–Cl bond cleavage and formation of polyene and carbonyl underwent on the PVC-MP surface, especially in the presence of LMWOA and LMWOA-Fe(III). Moreover, PVC-MP surface oxidation also led to the increase of the specific surface area and affinity towards water as indicated by the results of scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller tests and contact angles for water, which would further enhance the adsorption of polar contaminants on PVC-MP and thus increase the health risk of PVC-MP on aquatic organisms.

AB - In this study, a new photo-aging pathway in the aquatic environments and the underlying transformation mechanism were described for polyvinyl chloride microplastic (PVC-MP). Our results indicated that the photo-aging of PVC-MP was strongly dependent on particle size and the aging reaction could be facilitated in the presence of low-molecular-weight organic acid (LMWOA) and LMWOA-Fe(III) complex under simulated and natural sunlight irradiation and ambient conditions. The hydroxyl radical (OH•) generated from the photolysis of LMWOA or its ferric complexes played a dominant role in enhancing PVC-MP degradation. In situ Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations further confirmed that C–Cl bond cleavage and formation of polyene and carbonyl underwent on the PVC-MP surface, especially in the presence of LMWOA and LMWOA-Fe(III). Moreover, PVC-MP surface oxidation also led to the increase of the specific surface area and affinity towards water as indicated by the results of scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller tests and contact angles for water, which would further enhance the adsorption of polar contaminants on PVC-MP and thus increase the health risk of PVC-MP on aquatic organisms.

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Photo-aging of polyvinyl chloride microplastic in the presence of natural organic acids

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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