Active iron density and structure of iron ore crystal surface drive the generation of ROS and regulate the heterogeneous aggregation behavior of microplastics

Both nanoplastic and iron mineral types determine their heteroaggregation: Aggregation kinetics and interface process

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Researchers measured how four types of nanoplastics aggregate with iron minerals and found that surface chemistry drives the outcome — with PMMA forming the strongest heteroaggregates and carboxyl-modified particles the weakest — and that electron transfer from nanoplastics to hematite partially reduces iron, with implications for aquatic iron cycling.

Comparative effects of crystalline, poorly crystalline and freshly formed iron oxides on the colloidal properties of polystyrene microplastics

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Researchers found that freshly formed iron oxides caused the greatest aggregation of polystyrene microplastics in water, with effects decreasing in the order: freshly formed iron oxide > ferrihydrite > goethite > haematite. The findings suggest that iron oxide copresence can delay microplastic transport or alter their environmental fate depending on pH and crystallinity of the mineral.

Iron (hydr)oxide-clay mineral composite boosting microplastics photoaging: The effect of free radicals and Fe cycling mediated by a light-driven Fenton-like reaction

Combined abiotic and biotic weathering of microplastic particles: Alterations of their physicochemical properties and interactions with cells

Aggregation and Aggregate Strength of Microscale Plastic Particles in the Presence of Natural Organic Matter: Effects of Ionic Valence

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Calcium ions promote stronger aggregation of polyethylene microplastic particles in the presence of natural organic matter through divalent bridging, producing more cohesive aggregates than monovalent potassium ions. Understanding how microplastics aggregate under different water chemistry conditions is important for predicting their transport, sedimentation, and bioavailability in natural aquatic environments.