Work

Self-Consistent Field Modelling of Microplastic Particle Formation and Adsorption of Macromolecular Pollutants

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in aqueous environments poses a serious ecological problem nowadays. MP particles are able to adsorb pollutants of different kinds and to transport them to living organisms, leading to biotoxicity. Hence, investigation of the adsorption of pollutants of different molecular weights onto MP particles is an important task. We employed the numerical Scheutjens–Fleer self-consistent field method to study (i) the formation of MP particles consisting of homopolymer macromolecules and (ii) the adsorption of pollutant homopolymer chains onto the MP particles. Under poor solvent conditions, the polymer macromolecules were shown to form MPs with a constant density inside the particle and with an interfacial layer at its periphery. The size of the MP particles and the thickness of the interfacial layer were controlled by the solvent quality. MP particles were shown to adsorb pollutant polymer chains from the surrounding liquid due to higher compatibility of the MP particle with the pollutant polymer chains as compared to the solvent. The amount of adsorbed polymer pollutant increased with the increase of its concentration in solution. Softer MP particles were shown to adsorb larger amounts of pollutants due to a broader interfacial layer. The conformational characteristics of the adsorbed polymer chains (trains, loops, and tails) were studied in detail.

Source: Microplastics

DOI: 10.3390/microplastics5010058

Authors: Alexey A. Polotsky, Anna S. Ivanova, Anna A. Mercurieva, Vladimir P. Toshchevikov, José Kenny

Institutions: Kurchatov Institute, Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, European Center for Nanostructured Polymers

Language: English

Topic: Microplastics and Plastic Pollution

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207

Funders: Megagrants, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Wageningen University and Research