Effects of aging and temperature on the desorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from microplastics in simulated digestive fluids

Rui TANG; Huiping WEN; Junrong LIANG; Xiaoyu ZHANG; Xiangfei SUN; Lei MAI

doi:10.1007/s00343-024-4084-y

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Effects of aging and temperature on the desorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from microplastics in simulated digestive fluids

Ecotoxicological implications for micro- and nano-plastics | Updated：2025-03-21

- Effects of aging and temperature on the desorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from microplastics in simulated digestive fluids
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Vol. 43, Issue 2, Pages: 624-632(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) and Center for Environmental Microplastics Studies, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment and Climate, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
  2.Research Center of Low Carbon Economy for Guangzhou Region, Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Science in Guangdong Province of Community of Life for Man and Nature, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Author bio：
  
  lei_mai@jnu.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s00343-024-4084-y
  CLC：
- Received：19 March 2024，
  
  Online First：22 April 2024，
  
  Published：01 March 2025
- Accepted：
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TANG Rui,WEN Huiping,LIANG Junrong,et al.Effects of aging and temperature on the desorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from microplastics in simulated digestive fluids[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):624-632.
DOI：

TANG Rui,WEN Huiping,LIANG Junrong,et al.Effects of aging and temperature on the desorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from microplastics in simulated digestive fluids[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):624-632. DOI： 10.1007/s00343-024-4084-y.

摘要

Abstract

Ingestion of microplastics by various organisms has been widely evidenced. Chemicals associated with microplastics (MPs) may be released to digestive tracts upon ingestion. However

the effect of aging and temperature on the chemical desorption for MPs remains poorly understood. The exposure of polyethylene (PE) particles to UV radiation in dry air

tap water

and sea water was conducted to mimic the aging process of MPs in different environments. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

as a typical hydrophobic organic contaminant

were preloaded in these aged and pristine PE. The desorption was performed by exposing preloaded PE particles in simulated gastric and gut fluids at 25 °‍‍C and 40 °‍‍C. After UV aging

the average diameter of PE particles decreased rapidly with aging time

indicating continuously fragmentation of PE under UV exposure. The desorption of PCBs from PE particles under different conditions varied from 7% to 40%

and that from aged PE in gut fluid at 37 °‍‍C was significantly higher than those under other conditions (

0.05). Furthermore

a clear declining trend was observed as lg

(octanol-water partition coefficient) value increased. The aging process

hydrophobicity of chemicals

and incubation temperature were important factors on the desorption of PCBs from PE. The present study helps understand the d

esorption of PCBs from microplastics and the potential risks of microplastics ingestion by organisms.

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