EAR-PF: Microplastics and Nanoplastics as Vectors for Inorganic Pollution: Examining the Effect of Environmental Systems Conditions on Degradation Pathway and Sorption Potential

Lauren Pincus博士在普林斯顿大学的Satish Myneni博士和Middlebury学院的Peter Ryan博士的指导下获得了普林斯顿大学的NSF博士后奖学金，以研究微塑料和纳米塑料如何在环境中降解时结合有毒污染物。塑料是全球范围内最广泛和持久的污染物之一;然而，在我们对塑料如何在环境中降解以及如何运输可能与其表面结合的其他污染物的理解方面，仍然存在很大的知识差距。特别重要的是要了解微塑料（100 nm - 5 mm）和纳米塑料（100 nm）的化学性质，因为它们的小尺寸增加了它们被生物体摄入的能力，导致食物链上任何结合的有毒污染物的生物放大。Pincus博士将通过现场和实验室实验研究常用塑料在环境中的降解情况。然后，她将研究老化的微塑料/纳米塑料吸引砷和铅等环境和社会关注的污染物的能力。这项研究将侧重于无机污染物（如有毒金属），因为这是一个比有机污染物（如农药）研究较少的领域。这项研究的最终目标是预测性地了解降解的微塑料/纳米塑料如何促进铅和砷等有毒污染物的传播。最终，这些知识可以为未来塑料的设计提供信息，这些塑料可以在环境中更安全地降解，而不会运输有毒金属。这项研究的结果将通过在当地企业，非营利组织和社区大学举办的关于环境中塑料的系列讲座与公众分享。还将为本科生和高中生提供参与这一研究项目的机会，重点是与代表性不足（女性，少数民族，低收入）背景的学生合作并对其进行指导。这项研究的最终目标是对微塑料（MP）和纳米塑料（NP）降解如何影响无机污染物的环境命运进行预测性理解。具体而言，该项目旨在：1。确定环境条件如何影响MP和NP的降解途径，2。研究MP和NP在整个降解过程中对无机污染物吸附潜力的差异。确定关键的官能团，控制污染物吸附的MP和NP，和4。阐明金属（氢）氧化物沉淀和生物膜形成对MP和NP吸附无机污染物的作用。将使用现场和实验室研究相结合，以隔离关键环境因素驱动MP/NP风化机制，增加其对无机污染物的吸附能力。最终，这些知识将使塑料设计能够在环境中安全降解，而不会产生作为污染物传输载体的意外危险。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Dr. Lauren Pincus has been awarded an NSF EAR Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton University under the mentorship of Dr. Satish Myneni of Princeton University and Dr. Peter Ryan of Middlebury College to investigate how microplastics and nanoplastics bind toxic contaminants as they degrade in the environment. Plastics are among the most widespread and persistent contaminants globally; however, large knowledge gaps remain in regards to our understanding of how plastics degrade in the environment and transport other pollutants that may be bound to their surface. It is particularly important to understand the chemistry of microplastics (100 nm - 5 mm) and nanoplastics ( 100 nm) due to their small size increasing their ability to be ingested by organisms, resulting in biomagnification of any bound toxic contaminants up the food chain. Dr. Pincus will investigate how commonly used plastics degrade in the environment through both field and laboratory experiments. She will then examine the ability of the aged microplastics/nanoplastics to attract contaminants of environmental and societal concern such as arsenic and lead. This study will focus on inorganic contaminants (e.g. toxic metals), as this is a less studied area than organic pollutants (e.g pesticides). The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a predictive understanding of how degraded microplastics/nanoplastics contribute to the spread of toxic pollutants like lead and arsenic. Ultimately, this knowledge can inform the design of future plastics that can degrade more safely in the environment without transporting toxic metals. The results of this research will be shared with the general public through a lecture series at local businesses, non-profits, and community colleges on plastics in the environment. Opportunities will also be provided for both undergraduates and high school students to participate in this research project, with an emphasis on working with and mentoring students from underrepresented (female, minority, low-income) backgrounds. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a predictive understanding of how microplastic (MP) and nanoplastic (NP) degradation affects environmental fate of inorganic contaminants. Specifically, this project aims to: 1. Determine how environmental conditions affect the degradation pathway of MPs and NPs, 2. Investigate differences in MP and NP sorption potential towards inorganic contaminants throughout the degradation process, 3. Identify key functional groups that control contaminant sorption by MPs and NPs, and 4. Elucidate the role of metal (hydr)oxide precipitates and biofilm formation on adsorption of inorganic contaminants by MPs and NPs. A combination of field and laboratory studies will be used in order to isolate key environmental factors driving MP/NP weathering mechanisms that increase their sorption capacity towards inorganic contaminants. Ultimately this knowledge will enable design of plastics capable of safely degrading in the environment without the unintended hazard of serving as vectors for pollutant transport.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.