Effects of Biofilms on Trace Metal Adsorption on Plastics in Freshwater Systems

Zhilin Liu, Tanveer M. Adyel, Zhiyuan Wang (), Jun Wu, Jianchao Liu, Lingzhan Miao () and Jun Hou
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Zhilin Liu: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Tanveer M. Adyel: Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia
Zhiyuan Wang: Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210098, China
Jun Wu: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jianchao Liu: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Lingzhan Miao: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jun Hou: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: The formation of plastisphere on plastics and their potential impact on freshwater ecosystems have drawn increasing attention. However, there is still limited information about the effects of plastisphere on the heavy metal adsorption capacity and the related mechanism of plastic debris in different freshwaters. Herein, the trace metal adsorption capacity, kinetics and adsorption mechanisms of virgin and biofilm-covered plastic debris were investigated. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic debris were placed in three freshwaters (Xuanwu Lake, Donghu Lake and the Qinhuai River) for 45 days to incubate biofilms. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to compare the adsorption processes of trace metal on virgin and biofilm-covered plastics. Results showed that biofilms increase the adsorption of metals on plastics, and the adsorption isotherms were well fitted by the Langmuir model. Furthermore, the adsorption capacities for lead (Pb(II)) were higher than that of cadmium (Cd(II)) and zinc (Zn(II)), with 256.21 and 277.38 μg/g (Pb(II)) adsorbed in biofilm-covered PP and PET, respectively, in Xuanwu Lake. The adsorption kinetics of metals on plastic debris were significantly affected by the biofilms, by switching the intraparticle diffusion for virgin plastic debris to film diffusion for the biofilm-covered plastic debris. Moreover, the complexation of functional groups within the biofilms might mainly contribute to the increases of metal adsorption, involving the participation of oxygen and nitrogen groups. Overall, these results suggested that biofilms reinforce the potential role of plastics as a carrier of trace metals in freshwaters.

Keywords: biofilms; trace metal; plastic debris; adsorption mechanism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:13752-:d:950641

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