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^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

283 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

UN SDGs

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

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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

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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

N1 - 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

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.

KW - Aging process

KW - Dechlorination

KW - Low-molecular-weight organic acid

KW - Polyvinyl chloride microplastic

KW - Reactive oxygen species

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JF - Water Research

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

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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