Polystyrene microplastics accelerated photodegradation of co-existed polypropylene via photosensitization of polymer itself and released organic compounds

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 214; p. 118209
• Main Authors: Liu, Peng, Li, Huang, Wu, Jiajun, Wu, Xiaowei, Shi, Yanqi, Yang, Zeyuan, Huang, Kerang, Guo, Xuetao, Gao, Shixiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2022
• Subjects: aquatic environment; Combined pollution; dissolved organic matter; dissolved oxygen; Free radicals; leachates; Microplastics; Organic compounds; oxidation; Photodegradation; photolysis; photosensitivity; pollution; polypropylenes; polystyrenes; solar radiation; water; Photodegradation; Microplastics; Free radicals; Combined pollution; Organic compounds

•Photodegradation of polypropylene (PP) was accelerated by polystyrene (PS) microplastics.•Photosensitization of PS polymer itself and released organic compounds caused the critical effect.•The photodegradation of PP mediated by PS was controlled by ROS-involved mechanism.•OH• was the key contributo...