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Eco-corona formation on aminated nanoplastics interacted with extracellular polymeric substances from bloom-forming cyanobacteria: Insightful mechanisms with DFT study
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This study examined how tiny plastic particles with amino surface groups interact with substances released by algae in water, forming a coating called an "eco-corona." Understanding how nanoplastics behave and clump together in natural water environments is important because it affects how easily they move through ecosystems and potentially into drinking water sources.
Nanoplastics (NPs) with amino functional groups have wide distribution and high toxicity; however, their environmental behaviors remain inadequately understood. This study investigated the mechanisms of eco-corona formation on pristine polystyrene NPs (PSNPs) and aminated PSNPs (PSNPs-NH2) by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from a bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa. Our results revealed that at the two tested concentrations of EPS (5.0 and 30.0 mg/L), the pristine PSNPs initially aggregated and subsequently repelled. In contrast, PSNPs-NH2 showed a more pronounced aggregation at the elevated EPS concentration of 30 mg/L. In addition, the elemental compositions and functional groups on both types of PSNPs were markedly altered after eco-corona formation. Combining with density functional theory, our findings indicated that electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and Van der Waals force served as the main binding forces between model EPS (polysaccharide) and PSNPs units. Furthermore, the binding energies of pristine PSNPs-, and PSNPs-NH2-polysaccharide were calculated to be -63.25 and -179.43 kJ/mol, respectively, suggesting a greater affinity of PSNPs-NH2 for polysaccharide. This outcome aligned with our experimental observation. Specifically, the xylose branch within polysaccharide was identified as an optimized binding site for interaction with PSNPs. Our research contributes to a deeper understanding of the environmental behaviors of aminated NPs in freshwater systems, particularly during periods of cyanobacterial blooms.
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Eco-corona formation and associated ecotoxicological impacts of nanoplastics in the environment
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This review examines how nanoplastics interact with natural organic matter in the environment to form an 'eco-corona,' a coating of biomolecules on the particle surface that changes their behavior and toxicity. Researchers found that eco-corona formation alters nanoplastic stability, transport, and biological interactions in ways that can either increase or decrease their harmful effects on organisms. The study highlights the importance of considering these surface transformations when assessing the real-world environmental risks of nanoplastic pollution.
Interaction of nanoplastics with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the aquatic environment: A special reference to eco-corona formation and associated impacts
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This review examines how nanoplastics in aquatic environments interact with natural biomolecules to form an eco-corona coating that fundamentally changes their behavior and ecological impact. Researchers found that this biological coating alters the surface chemistry, transport, and toxicity of nanoplastic particles in ways that depend on environmental conditions. The study highlights that understanding eco-corona formation is essential for accurately assessing the real-world risks of nanoplastic pollution.
Interplay between extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from a marine diatom and model nanoplastic through eco-corona formation
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Researchers incubated polystyrene nanoplastics with extracellular polymeric substances secreted by a marine diatom and found that these biological molecules rapidly formed an "eco-corona" coating on the nanoparticles, significantly slowing their aggregation and reducing oxidative stress in algae — suggesting that natural organic matter in seawater substantially alters nanoplastic behavior and toxicity.
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