| Title |
Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) Leaching from Microplastics under UV-Irradiation and Its Fluorescence P roperties: C omparison with N atural P articles |
| Authors |
최나은 ( Na Eun Choi ) ; 이윤경 ( Yun Kyung Lee ) ; 허진 ( Jin Hur ) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.15681/KSWE.2022.38.2.72 |
| Keywords |
Dissolved organic carbon; Fluorescence EEM; Microplastics; Natural occurring particles; UV-irradiation |
| Abstract |
Numerous studies have investigated the occurrence and fate of microplastics in the environment; however, only limited effort has been devoted to exploring the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) leached from microplastics. In microplastic (MP)-contaminated environment, MPs are typically mixed with naturally-occurring particles, which interferes with their detection in the environment. Thus, it is necessary to distinguish between the DOM leached from MPs and those leached from natural particles and also to characterize their properties. This study investigated DOM leaching behavior from MPs (polystyrene: PS, polyvinylchloride: PVC) and natural particulates (forest soil: FS, litter leaves: LL) under light, which is considered one of the main weathering processes that affect MPs in the environment. The leached DOM concentrations and fluorescence characteristics were compared under dark versus light conditions. Regardless of the origins, UV light promoted DOM release from all the particulates. More DOM was released from natural particles than from MPs under both conditions. However, the effect of promoting DOM release by UV was more pronounced for MPs than for natural particles. It was observed from fluorescence spectra that the intensity of the humic-like region was substantially reduced when MP-derived DOM was exposed to UV light, whereas the change of intensity was very little for natural particles. Under light conditions, the ratio of protein-like to humic-like fluorescence of MP-derived DOM was higher than that of DOM from natural particles. This study implies that a substantial amount of DOM could be leached from MPs even in MP-polluted environment under UV irradiation. Protein/humic fluorescence ratio could be utilized as a fast probing indicator to separate the two sources of Numerous studies have investigated the occurrence and fate of microplastics in the environment; however, only limited effort has been devoted to exploring the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) leached from microplastics. In microplastic (MP)-contaminated environment, MPs are typically mixed with naturally-occurring particles, which interferes with their detection in the environment. Thus, it is necessary to distinguish between the DOM leached from MPs and those leached from natural particles and also to characterize their properties. This study investigated DOM leaching behavior from MPs (polystyrene: PS, polyvinylchloride: PVC) and natural particulates (forest soil: FS, litter leaves: LL) under light, which is considered one of the main weathering processes that affect MPs in the environment. The leached DOM concentrations and fluorescence characteristics were compared under dark versus light conditions. Regardless of the origins, UV light promoted DOM release from all the particulates. More DOM was released from natural particles than from MPs under both conditions. However, the effect of promoting DOM release by UV was more pronounced for MPs than for natural particles. It was observed from fluorescence spectra that the intensity of the humic-like region was substantially reduced when MP-derived DOM was exposed to UV light, whereas the change of intensity was very little for natural particles. Under light conditions, the ratio of protein-like to humic-like fluorescence of MP-derived DOM was higher than that of DOM from natural particles. This study implies that a substantial amount of DOM could be leached from MPs even in MP-polluted environment under UV irradiation. Protein/humic fluorescence ratio could be utilized as a fast probing indicator to separate the two sources of particles under light.particles under light. |