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Transport of nanoplastics in saturated porous media: Synergy of particle size, surface functional groups, and low molecular weight organic acids
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Researchers systematically tested how particle size and surface functional groups interact with low-molecular-weight organic acids to control nanoplastic mobility through saturated sand columns, finding that carboxyl-coated particles became less mobile as size increased while amine-coated particles became more mobile, with citric acid providing stronger steric hindrance than lactic acid.
The structural heterogeneity of nanoplastics (NPs) significantly affects their transport behavior and ecological risks. However, there is still a lack of systematic research on the synergistic influence of different structural features on the transport behavior of NPs. In this paper, the transport behaviors of polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) with different particle sizes and surface functional groups under environmental factors were systematically investigated. With the particle size increased, the transport of PS-COOH was inhibited while PS-NH₂ mobility increased. This difference is due to the increase in particle size, which enhances the electrostatic repulsion between the medium and -COOH and reduces the electrostatic attraction between the medium and -NH₂. With the increase of IS and decrease of pH, the transport of PSNPs was reduced by the combined effects of double-layer compression and protonation. LMWOAs inhibited PSNPs transport via hydrogen bonding, and the inhibition degree depended on their types. The mobility of PSNPs under citric acid (CA) conditions was significantly higher than that under lactic acid (LA), which was related to the fact that CA contained more -COOH groups and had a stronger steric hindrance effect. DFT calculations further verified that CA had a stronger binding energy compared to LA. The above findings revealed the regulatory role of structural heterogeneity in the transport of PSNPs, clarified the colloid chemical-interface mechanism of PSNPs under different environmental conditions, and provided new scientific insights for a deeper understanding of the environmental risks of NPs.
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Impact of Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids on the Transport of Polystyrene Nanoplastics
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Researchers investigated how seven low-molecular-weight organic acids affect the transport of polystyrene nanoplastics through saturated quartz sand columns, finding that dibasic acids and monobasic acids differ in their influence on nanoplastic mobility due to changes in surface charge and particle aggregation behavior.
Transport of polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups in goethite-coated saturated porous media: Effects of low molecular weight organic acids and physicochemical properties
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Researchers studied how low-molecular-weight organic acids affect the migration of surface-functionalized nanoplastics through iron oxide-coated versus plain quartz sand, finding that the acids can shift iron valence states on goethite surfaces at low pH, altering electrostatic interactions in ways that either promote or inhibit nanoplastic transport depending on the media type.
Effect of low-molecular-weight organic acids on the transport of polystyrene nanoplastics in saturated porous media
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Researchers studied how low-molecular-weight organic acids (common in soil and groundwater) affect the movement of polystyrene nanoplastics through saturated porous media, finding that low concentrations promote transport while high concentrations increase particle deposition, with the effect scaling with the number of functional groups on the organic acid.
Effects of Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids on the Transport of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Saturated Goethite-Coated Sand Columns
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This study examined how low-molecular-weight organic acids — common root exudates in soil — affect the transport of polystyrene nanoplastics through porous media. Organic acids altered nanoplastic surface charge and aggregation state, significantly changing how far particles could migrate through soil.
Effects of low-molecular-weight organic acids on the transport of polystyrene nanoplastics: An insight at the structure of organic acids
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Researchers examined how seven common soil organic acids affect nanoplastic movement through sand, finding that dibasic acids (with multiple acid groups) significantly enhance transport by making particle surfaces more negatively charged and hydrophilic, while most monobasic acids have little effect — with implications for predicting nanoplastic migration in agricultural soils.
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