Major
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Program
Anticipated Graduation Year
May 2022
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is of concern to the environment because toxic compounds can concentrate on the surface of microplastic particles and be ingested by aquatic animals, resulting in the absorbed toxins to be spread throughout the food chain to humans. Past research has demonstrated that triclosan, an emerging contaminant being studied, will undergo photolysis at a faster rate on the surface of plastics that do not absorb sunlight such as polyethylene and polymethylmethracrylate than it does in water with no plastic present. We are interested in investigating if and how light energy is transferred between triclosan and aromatic plastics. We found that aromatic plastics reduce the rate of photolysis of triclosan relative to non-aromatic plastics because they can quench triclosan.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Paul Chiarelli, PhD, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry; Xiolmera Martinez, PhD Candidate, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Investigations into the Mechanism of Energy Transfer between Aromatic Microplastics and Pollutants during Photolysis
Microplastic pollution is of concern to the environment because toxic compounds can concentrate on the surface of microplastic particles and be ingested by aquatic animals, resulting in the absorbed toxins to be spread throughout the food chain to humans. Past research has demonstrated that triclosan, an emerging contaminant being studied, will undergo photolysis at a faster rate on the surface of plastics that do not absorb sunlight such as polyethylene and polymethylmethracrylate than it does in water with no plastic present. We are interested in investigating if and how light energy is transferred between triclosan and aromatic plastics. We found that aromatic plastics reduce the rate of photolysis of triclosan relative to non-aromatic plastics because they can quench triclosan.