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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effects of Microplastic Type and Ageing
on Cadmium Adsorption
1
Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, Guiyang, China
2
College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
3
Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
Submission date: 2026-02-25
Final revision date: 2026-06-07
Acceptance date: 2026-06-27
Online publication date: 2026-08-31
Corresponding author
Pan Wu
Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, Guiyang, China
Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment (Guizhou University), Ministry of Education, Guiyang, China
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Microplastics (MPs) can adsorb cadmium (Cd) and influence its environmental fate. However,
the roles of polymer type and ageing in governing Cd adsorption remain insufficiently understood.
This study systematically investigated Cd adsorption onto virgin and H2O2-aged polyethylene (PE),
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polylactic acid (PLA) under controlled aqueous conditions. Adsorption
experiments, coupled with isotherm and kinetic modelling and supported by surface characterisation
(SEM–EDS, FTIR, and zeta-potential analyses), revealed that Cd adsorption is better described by the
Langmuir model, indicating site-limited adsorption with saturation, and follows pseudo-second-order
kinetics. Polymer type was the dominant control on Cd uptake (PLA>PVC>PE), irrespective of ageing
state. PLA exhibited the highest maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) and strongest affinity, consistent
with its higher abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups, more negative surface charge, and
greater surface roughness. Ageing effects were polymer-specific: ageing markedly enhanced adsorption
affinity and low-concentration sensitivity for PLA, produced a more moderate enhancement for PVC,
and had minimal influence on PE. These findings demonstrate that polymer chemistry fundamentally
governs baseline Cd adsorption, while ageing modulates adsorption affinity in a polymer-dependent
manner. This study provides new mechanistic insight into how biodegradable and conventional
MPs differentially interact with toxic metals, improving our understanding of metal partitioning
at the water–MPs interface and informing risk assessments of MP-associated metal transport in aquatic
environments.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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| eISSN: | 2083-5906 |
| ISSN: | 1230-1485 |
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