Plasticizers released from PVC microplastics in aquaculture environments: leaching behaviors and ecological implications

Lok Tung FUNG; Mengyang LIU; Keran YANG; Yaru CAO; Yifang CHEN; Meng YAN; M. Y. Kenneth LEUNG

doi:10.1007/s00343-025-4230-1

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Plasticizers released from PVC microplastics in aquaculture environments: leaching behaviors and ecological implications

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

- Plasticizers released from PVC microplastics in aquaculture environments: leaching behaviors and ecological implications
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Vol. 43, Issue 2, Pages: 633-643(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
  2.Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China
  3.School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Author bio：
  
  m.liu@cityu.edu.hk
  mengyan@cityu.edu.hk
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s00343-025-4230-1
  CLC：
- Received：27 August 2024，
  
  Online First：28 October 2024，
  
  Published：01 March 2025
- Accepted：
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FUNG Lok Tung,LIU Mengyang,YANG Keran,et al.Plasticizers released from PVC microplastics in aquaculture environments: leaching behaviors and ecological implications[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):633-643.
DOI：

FUNG Lok Tung,LIU Mengyang,YANG Keran,et al.Plasticizers released from PVC microplastics in aquaculture environments: leaching behaviors and ecological implications[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2025,43(02):633-643. DOI： 10.1007/s00343-025-4230-1.

摘要

Abstract

Contamination of microplastics (MPs) and their associated plastic additives in the marine environment is a global concern due to their widespread distribution and toxicity to aquatic life. Although polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials are commonly used in aquaculture environments

the potential risks of PVC MPs and the release of their additives in aquatic environments and organisms remain largely unknown. In this study

we investigated the leaching behaviors of phthalate esters (PAEs)

including the mass and composition of PAEs in PVC MPs and their leaching kinetics

and evaluated the environmental risks of using PVC canvas in aquaculture activities. It was found that diethyl phthalate (DEP) was the most dominant PAE compound leached from PVC MPs (44.70±7.87 ng/g)

followed by dimethyl phthalate (DMP

24.40±1.56 ng/g). The Elovich model was applied to simulate the leaching kinetics

and the simulated curves showed similar logarithmic trends that PAEs rapidly migrated from MPs to the water column at first and followed by a gradual increase over time. The different leaching kinetics of PAEs can be explained by their chemical properties

such as water solubility

molecular weight

and octanol-water partition coefficient. Compounds with lower solubility showed higher leaching coefficients

which are the constants of different PAEs in Elovich equation. Considering the potential joint toxicity of PVC leachates and the importance of food security

it is recommended to use PVC products responsibly and manage plastic waste properly.

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references

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