Effect of ozonation on the morphological characteristics and adsorption behavior of polystyrene microplastics in aqueous environments

This study investigated the morphological properties of PS MPs aged by ozone and their adsorption behavior. In this study, the aging of PS MPs was carried out using ozone at a concentration of 1.4 mg/L for 1 h. Subsequently, various laboratory techniques were used to study the morphological characteristics and adsorption behavior of the aged PS MPs. The findings indicated that the morphological characteristics of PS MPs changed as a result of the aging process. Specifically, the size of PS particles decreased from 3.284 to 3.238 μm, while their ZP decreased from − 45.6 to − 76.3 mV. Furthermore, changes in the functional groups of aged MPs were evident when compared to fresh samples. Aged PS also had a higher adsorption rate for CV dye, at 76.55%, compared to fresh PS, which had an adsorption rate of 69.79%. The alterations in the morphological characteristics and adsorption behavior of aged PS can be attributed to the degradation of the polymer structure of these pollutants, as well as the increase in adsorption sites on their surfaces. It can be concluded that the aging process enhances the environmental reactivity and pollutant adsorption potential of PS.