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Hydrodynamic Aging Process Altered Benzo(a)pyrene Adsorption on Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) and Poly(butylene succinate) Microplastics in Seawater

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  • Xiaotao Liu

    (College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China)

  • Yuexia Feng

    (Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Security, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Xueting Hua

    (Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Security, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China)

  • Jian Lu

    (Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Security, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Jun Wu

    (College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China)

Abstract

The environmental behavior of biodegradable plastics under long-term hydrodynamic aging processes in seawater remains poorly understood, although plastic pollution has attracted global concern. This study obtained poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) microplastics that endured 36-month hydrodynamic aging in seawater to elucidate their physicochemical transformations and interactions with benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). Hydrodynamic aging markedly altered surface morphology, generated cracks and pores, and enriched -C=O and -OH groups, indicating oxidative degradation. Adsorption experiments showed that BaP adsorption capacity of virgin PBAT/PBS reached 213.3/235.3 μg g −1 , while it increased to 233.3/258.2 μg g −1 after hydrodynamic aging in seawater. Elevated salinity and alkaline conditions reduced BaP adsorption on microplastics. Notably, hydrodynamic aging mitigated the risk of BaP desorption from PBAT in ectothermic organisms. Gibbs free energy calculations indicated that the adsorption process was primarily driven by hydrophobic effects, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces. These findings highlight that long-term hydrodynamic aging substantially modifies the interfacial properties of biodegradable plastics to alter their capacity for mediating the environmental fate of hydrophobic organic pollutants in marine ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaotao Liu & Yuexia Feng & Xueting Hua & Jian Lu & Jun Wu, 2025. "Hydrodynamic Aging Process Altered Benzo(a)pyrene Adsorption on Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) and Poly(butylene succinate) Microplastics in Seawater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:24:p:11344-:d:1820603
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