A new point to correlate the multi-dimensional assessment for the aging process of microfibers

Li，Jiangpeng1; Wang，Lijuan1; Xu，Zhe1,2; Zhang，Jianshuai1; Li，Jiawei1; Lu，Xiao1; Yan，Ruoqun1; Tang，Yuanyuan1

2023-05-15

10.1016/j.watres.2023.119933

Water Research   Impact Factor & Quartile

0043-1354

1879-2448

Fiber, the most prevalent plastic type, can be weathered and eroded easily in the natural environment. Although a variety of techniques have been applied to characterize the aging characteristics of plastics, a comprehensive understanding was critically essential to correlate the multi-dimensional assessment of the weathering process of microfibers and their environmental behavior. Therefore, in this study, microfibers were prepared from the face masks and Pb was selected as a typical metal pollutant. The weathering process was simulated by xenon aging and chemical aging, and then subjected to Pbadsorption to examine the effect of weathering processes. The changes in fiber property and structure were detected by using various characterization techniques, with the development of several aging indices to quantify the changes. The two-dimensional Fourier transform infrared correlation spectroscopy analysis (2D‐FTIR‐COS) and Raman mapping were also performed to understand the order of changes in the surface functional groups of the fiber. The results showed that both aging processes altered the surface morphology, physicochemical properties, and polypropylene chain conformations of the microfibers, with stronger effect after chemical aging. The aging process also enhanced the affinity of microfiber to Pb. Moreover, the changes and correlation of the aging indices were analyzed, showing that the maximum adsorption capacity (Q) was positively related to carbonyl index (CI), oxygen-to-carbon atom (O/C) ratio and intensity ratio of the Raman peaks (I), but negatively related to contact angle and the temperature at the maximum weight loss rate (T). The O/C ratio was more suitable to quantify the surface changes with lower aging degree while the CI value explained the chemical aging process better. Overall, this study discussed the weathering processes of microfibers based on a multi-dimensional investigation, and attempted to correlate the aging characteristics of the microfibers and their environmental behavior.

Adsorption Aging Correlation Face masks Microfibers Quantitative

English

NI Journal Papers

First ; Corresponding

Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province[2021B1515020041];National Natural Science Foundation of China[41977329];National Natural Science Foundation of China[42277403];

ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY

2-s2.0-85151897911

Scopus

1.State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control,School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
2.Department of Civil Engineering,The University of Hong Kong,Hong Kong SAR,Pokfulam Road,Hong Kong

Li，Jiangpeng,Wang，Lijuan,Xu，Zhe,et al. A new point to correlate the multi-dimensional assessment for the aging process of microfibers[J]. Water Research,2023,235.

Li，Jiangpeng.,Wang，Lijuan.,Xu，Zhe.,Zhang，Jianshuai.,Li，Jiawei.,...&Tang，Yuanyuan.(2023).A new point to correlate the multi-dimensional assessment for the aging process of microfibers.Water Research,235.

Li，Jiangpeng,et al."A new point to correlate the multi-dimensional assessment for the aging process of microfibers".Water Research 235(2023).