title: Sorption of 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl by microplastics: A case study of polypropylene.
abstract: Though plastics show good chemical inertness, they could sorb polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other toxic pollutants from the surrounding environment. Thus, ingestion of microplastics by marine organisms potentially enhances the transport and bioavailability of toxic chemicals. However, there is lack of studies on the sorption capacity, mechanism and factors affecting the sorption behavior. Here, sorption of PCBs by microplastics in the simulated seawater was studied using the batch oscillation equilibration technique, in which polypropylene (PP) and 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB77) acted as model plastic and PCB, respectively. Factors including particle size, temperature and solution environment were investigated. Results showed that, equilibrium sorption time is about 8h and sorption capacity increase with decreasing particle size and temperature. Different sorption capacity in three solution environments was observed. Equilibrium data in three solution environments fitted very well to the Langmuir sorption model, indicating chemical sorption is the predominant mechanism.
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Zhiwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 51006, China.
authors.forename: Jundong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 51006, China. Electronic address: Jppeng@gdut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Qilai
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 51006, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 51006, China.
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010316:Particle Size; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D011126:Polypropylenes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C028451:3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl
keywords: Capacity; Microplastic; Model; PCB77; Polypropylene; Sorption