Effect of cadmium on the sorption of tylosin by polystyrene microplastics

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 207; p. 111255
• Main Authors: Huang, Daofen, Xu, Yibo, Yu, Xiaoqin, Ouyang, Zhuozhi, Guo, Xuetao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.01.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adsorption; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Cadmium; Coadsorption; Environmental Pollutants; Metals, Heavy; Microplastics; Microplastics - chemistry; Osmolar Concentration; Plastics - chemistry; Polystyrene; Polystyrenes - chemistry; Tylosin; Tylosin - chemistry; Cadmium; Microplastics; Tylosin; Polystyrene; Coadsorption
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111255

Microplastics are widespread in the environment and might transport readily by ocean currents, wind and atmospheric deposition. Simultaneously, antibiotics and heavy metals could often be detected in the environment. They are both positively charged, it is necessary to clarify the interactions of these pollutants with microplastics when they were coexist. In this study, the most commonly used polystyrene (PS) was selected as a representative microplastic. This study investigated the effect of Cd(II) on the sorption of TYL by PS in different coexistence systems. The results showed that: in the composite system, when TYL and Cd(II) coexist, the presence of Cd(II) could inhibit the sorption of TYL by PS, and the inhibitory effect increases with the increase of the concentration of Cd(II), indicating that competitive sorption dominates the sorption. When PS adsorbed Cd(II) first and then adsorbed TYL, the presence of Cd(II) was conducive to the sorption of TYL, and the sorption strengthened with the increase of Cd(II) concentration, indicating that the complexation between TYL and Cd(II) enhanced the sorption of TYL. In addition, initial pH values and ionic strength were essential in the sorption process. Therefore, this study could provide an important basis for evaluating the environmental behavior and ecological risk of microplastics in the process of compound pollution. [Display omitted] •The effect of Cd(II) on the sorption of TYL by PS was first studied.•The Cd(II) addition inhibited the sorption of TYL by PS in coexist systems.•The Cd(II) addition enhanced the sorption of TYL by PS when Cd(II) first sorbed by PS.•Competition and complexation interactions were involved in the sorption process.