Effect of ultraviolet aging on the adsorption of diclofenac by microplastics

LIU Yi-qing; ZOU Qing-hua; ZHANG You-zhong; HU Hong; CHEN Chuan-zeng

PDF(2160 KB)

China Environmental Science ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3) : 1398-1406.

Water Pollution Control

Effect of ultraviolet aging on the adsorption of diclofenac by microplastics

LIU Yi-qing, ZOU Qing-hua, ZHANG You-zhong, HU Hong, CHEN Chuan-zeng

Author information +

History +

Abstract

Taking three types of the most frequently detected microplastics (MPs) in the environment, i.e., polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS), as the research objects, their ultraviolet (UV) aging and the environmental behavior of aged MPs to diclofenac (DCF) were explored in this study. The results indicate that after UV aging, the surface roughness, specific surface area and average pore size of the three MPs increased, while their contact angle and point of zero charge decreased. Moreover, UV aging caused an increase in the oxygen content of MPs, with a significant increase in the content of oxygen-containing functional groups such as carbonyl and hydroxyl. Adsorption experimental results show that different MPs had slightly different adsorption capacities for DCF, and PS exhibited stronger DCF adsorption ability with the adsorption capacity of 0.5626mg/g. The adsorption capacities of UV-aged PE, PVC and PS for DCF were 0.4884, 0.6077and 0.6382mg/g, respectively, which were stronger than that of the original MPs. The adsorption amount of DCF by MPs before and after aging both decreased with increasing pH or the increase in salinity and humic acid concentration. The adsorption process for DCF by MPs was divided into three stages, i.e., liquid film diffusion, particle internal diffusion, and adsorption equilibrium, and the adsorption mechanism mainly involved physical adsorption dominated by hydrophobic interactions, van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions.

Key words

microplastics / diclofenac / ultraviolet aging / adsorption behavior

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

LIU Yi-qing, ZOU Qing-hua, ZHANG You-zhong, HU Hong, CHEN Chuan-zeng. Effect of ultraviolet aging on the adsorption of diclofenac by microplastics[J]. China Environmental Science. 2026, 46(3): 1398-1406

References

[1] Li J, Liu H, Chen J P. Microplastics in freshwater systems: A review on occurrence, environmental effects, and methods for microplastics detection [J]. Water Research, 2018,137:362-374.
[2] Cho Y, Shim W J, Jang M, et al. Nationwide monitoring of microplastics in bivalves from the coastal environment of Korea [J]. Environmental Pollution, 2021,270:116175.
[3] Lima A, Costa M, Barletta M. Distribution patterns of microplastics within the plankton of a tropical estuary [J]. Environmental Research, 2014,132:146-155.
[4] 彭子淇,李佳岭,邱丽婷,等.我国三大水系环境微塑料污染现状及其表面微生物群落特征的研究进展 [J]. 微生物学报, 2023,63(6): 2261-2275. Peng Z Q, Li J L, Qiu L T, et al. Research progress in microplastic pollution status and microorganisms on microplastics in three major rivers in China [J]. Acta Microbiologica Sinica, 2023,63(6):2261-2275.
[5] Wang C, Zhao J, Xing B. Environmental source, fate, and toxicity of microplastics [J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2021,407:124357.
[6] 苗令占,邓肖雅,杨铮,等.微塑料的老化过程、产物及其环境效应研究进展 [J]. 中国环境科学, 2023,43(11):6156-6171. Miao L Z, Deng X Y, Yang Z, et al. Research progress on the aging process, leachates of microplastics and their environmental effects [J]. China Environmental Science, 2023,43(11):6156-6171.
[7] Zhao Y, Liu F, Qin X. Adsorption of diclofenac onto goethite: Adsorption kinetics and effects of pH [J]. Chemosphere, 2017,180: 373-378.
[8] Munoz M, Oritz D, Nieto-Sandoval J, et al. Adsorption of micropollutants onto realistic microplastics: Role of microplastic nature, size, age, and NOM fouling [J]. Chemosphere, 2021,283:131085.
[9] Liang S, Wang K, Wang K, et al. Adsorption of diclofenac sodium by aged degradable and non-degradable microplastics: Environmental effects, adsorption mechanisms [J]. Toxics, 2023,11:24.
[10] Liu P, Shi Y, Wu X, et al. Review of the artificially-accelerated aging technology and ecological risk of microplastics [J]. Science of the Total Environment, 2021,768:144969.
[11] Ho W K, Law J C F, Zhang T, et al. Effects of weathering on the sorption behavior and toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in multi- solute systems [J]. Water Research, 2020,187:116419.
[12] 李哲.微塑料的老化及其对水中抗生素的吸附行为 [D]. 沈阳:辽宁大学, 2023. Li Z. Aging of microplastics and their adsorption behavior of antibiotics in water [D]. Shenyang: Liaoning University, 2023.
[13] 王晓庆.老化作用对微塑料吸附三氯生和诺氟沙星的影响机制研究 [D]. 郑州:郑州大学, 2022. Wang X Q. The study on influence mechanism of aging on the adsorption of triclosan and norfloxacin by microplastics [D]. Zhengzhou: Zhengzhou University, 2022.
[14] Zhou L, Wang T, Qu G, et al. Probing the aging processes and mechanisms of microplastic under simulated multiple actions generated by discharge plasma [J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2020,398:122956.
[15] 程新峰,留芳芳,潘玲,等.微塑料老化对其理化性质和盐酸四环素吸附行为的影响研究 [J]. 环境科学学报, 2023,43(3):150-161. Cheng X F, Liu F F, Pan L, et al. Study on the effect of aging of microplastics on their physicochemical properties and adsorption behavior of tetracycline hydrochloride [J]. Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae, 2023,43(3):150-161.
[16] Fa W, Guo L, Wang J, et al. Solid-phase photocatalytic degradation of polystyrene with TiO₂/Fe(St)₃ as catalyst [J]. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2013,128(5):2618-2622.
[17] 王林,王姝歆,曾祥英,等.老化作用对微塑料吸附四环素的影响及其机制 [J]. 环境科学, 2022,43(10):4511-4521. Wang L, Wang S X, Zeng X Y, et al. Effect of aging on adsorption of tetracycline by microplastics and the mechanisms [J]. Environmental Science, 2022,43(10):4511-4521.
[18] 王琼杰,张勇,张阳阳,等.老化微塑料对水体中重金属铜和锌的吸附行为研究 [J]. 环境科学学报, 2021,41(7):2712-2726. Wang Q J, Zhang Y, Zhang Y Y, et al. Adsorption of heavy metal ions Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ onto UV-aged microplastics in aquatic system [J]. Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae, 2021,41(7):2712-2726.
[19] Lin J, Yan D, Fu J, et al. Ultraviolet-C and vacuum ultraviolet inducing surface degradation of microplastics [J]. Water Research, 2020,186:116360.
[20] Memmert U, Peither A, Burri R, et al. Diclofenac: New data on chronic toxicity and bioconcentration in fish [J]. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2013,32(2):442-452.
[21] Guo X, Pang J, Chen S, et al. Sorption properties of tylosin on four different microplastics [J]. Chemosphere, 2018,209:240-245.
[22] 张继欢,张晋玮,武文龙,等.碳酸氢钠改性生物炭的制备及其吸附水中卡马西平的机理分析 [J]. 过程工程学报, 2024,24(9):1106-1119. Zhang J H, Zhang J W, Wu W L, et al. Preparation of sodium bicarbonate modified biochar and analysis of its adsorption mechanism for carbamazepine in water [J]. The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering, 2024,24(9):1106-1119.
[23] Liang S, Wang K, Wang K, et al. Adsorption behavior of diclofenac on polystyrene and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) microplastics: Influencing factors and adsorption mechanism [J]. Langmuir, 2023,39(34):12216-12225.
[24] Sun M, Yang Y, Huang M, et al. Adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of antibiotic norfloxacin on degradable and nondegradable microplastics [J]. Science of the Total Environment, 2022,807:151042.
[25] Wang J, Guo X. Adsorption isotherm models: Classification, physical meaning, application and solving method [J]. Chemosphere, 2020,258: 127279.
[26] Al-Ghouti M A, Da'ana D A. Guidelines for the use and interpretation of adsorption isotherm models: A review [J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2020,393:122383.
[27] Kundu S, Gupta A K. Arsenic adsorption onto iron oxide-coated cement (IOCC): Regression analysis of equilibrium data with several isotherm models and their optimization [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2006,122:93-106.
[28] 王伟涛,陈香李,杨百勤.固体在液相中吸附热力学参数计算介绍 [J]. 大学化学, 2021,36(2):233-240. Wang W T, Chen X L, Yang B Q. Calculation of adsorption thermodynamics parameters for adsorption on the solid-liquid interface [J]. University Chemistry, 2021,36(2):233-240.
[29] 史鸿乐,汪诗翔,刘义青,等.亚铁改性沸石活化过氧乙酸降解水中双氯芬酸的研究 [J]. 中国环境科学, 2020,40(5):2116-2123. Shi H L, Wang S X, Liu Y Q, et al. Enhanced degradation of diclofenac by catalytic peracetic acid using Fe²⁺ modified zeolite [J]. China Environmental Science, 2020,40(5):2116-2123.
[30] Zhao Y, Gu X, Li S, et al. Insights into tetracycline adsorption onto kaolinite and montmorillonite: experiments and modeling [J]. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2015,22:17031- 17040.
[31] Zhao M, Huang L, Arulmani S R B, et al. Adsorption of different pollutants by using microplastic with different influencing factors and mechanisms in wastewater: A review [J]. Nanomaterials, 2022, 12(13):2256.