文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：Elucidating the aging effects and underlying mechanisms of microplastic sorption by lignin-based hydrogel

作者：Li, Xiaohong Xia, Qi He, Linjing Cai, Xiaohua Nie, Dengpan Leng, Yanli Liu, Ying Wang, Huanjiang

第一作者：Li, Xiaohong

机构：[1] School of Chemical Engineering, Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou, Guiyang, 550025, China; [2] School of Chemical Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550025, China

第一机构：School of Chemical Engineering, Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou, Guiyang, 550025, China

年份：2026

外文期刊名：SSRN

收录：EI(收录号：20260066716)

语种：英文

外文关键词：Accelerated aging - Alkalinity - Density functional theory - Environmental remediation - Environmental technology - Hydrogels - Hydrogen bonds - Lignin - Microplastic - Oxygen - Remediation - Thermodynamic properties

摘要：The environmental aging of microplastics significantly influences their removal, however, developing a universal and efficient removal strategy remains challenging. In this study, the aging behavior of 1 μm and 5 μm polystyrene (PS) microplastics under different pH conditions was systematically investigated in simulated real water environments using UV and/or H2O2 aging. The results indicate that 1 μm and 5 μm PS microplastics underwent significant aging and fragmentation during UV/H2O2 treatment under both neutral and alkaline conditions, resulting in smaller particles with an increased presence of oxygen-containing functional groups. Subsequently, a green lignin-based hydrogel (LG-ECH-PVA@2) was developed for the efficient adsorption of aged PS. Compared to pristine PS, the hydrogel’s adsorption capacity for aged PS increased by 51.3% at pH 7.0, with equilibrium adsorption capacities reaching 347.3±15.81, 395.7±17.65, and 427.6±16.42 mg/g at pH 3.0, 7.0, and 10.0, respectively. Experimental characterization, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and wavefunction-based visualization analyses of noncovalent interactions in real space were conducted. For pristine PS, the primary adsorption enhancement mechanisms involved π–π stacking and C–H···π interactions. Notably, the aged PS surface exhibited a higher concentration of oxygen-containing functional groups and increased polarity, leading to a predominant adsorption mechanism transformation toward stronger hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. More importantly, this study not only advances the understanding of the environmental aging behavior and interfacial mechanisms of microplastics but also provides a novel strategy for developing targeted remediation technologies based on the self-evolution patterns of microplastics. ? 2026, The Authors. All rights reserved.