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Impact of particle size and oxide phase on microplastic transport through iron oxide-coated sand
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Researchers studied how different types of iron oxide coatings on sand affect the movement of polystyrene microplastics through soil. They found that magnetite-coated sand retained the most microplastics, while goethite-coated sand retained the least, with results matching theoretical predictions. The findings suggest that naturally iron-rich soils could serve as effective barriers to prevent microplastic transport through groundwater systems.
The presence of microplastics in aquatic environments threatens the ecological system and human health. This study investigates the transport and retention of polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) in clean sand, and hematite-, goethite-, and magnetite-coated iron oxide - sands as a function of size ratio and ionic strength. The breakthrough curves (BTCs), retention profiles, and hydraulic pressure were measured through soil-column experiments, and the retention of PSMPs was assessed from the observed BTCs, RPs and first-order attachment coefficients. In addition, the maximum attachment capacity was evaluated to assess the long-term retention of PSMPs. Experimental data showed that the retention of PSMPs increased in the order of goethite-, hematite-, and magnetite-coated sands in all size ratios, which is consistent with the order of attraction energy calculated by extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory. The findings demonstrated the feasibility of mitigating the transport of microplastic particles using naturally abundant iron-rich soils.
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Transport of polystyrene microplastics in bare and iron oxide-coated quartz sand: Effects of ionic strength, humic acid, and co-existing graphene oxide
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Researchers investigated how graphene oxide nanoparticles and humic acid influence the transport of polystyrene microplastics through sand columns, comparing bare quartz sand with iron oxide-coated sand. They found that iron oxide-coated sand strongly retained microplastics regardless of other factors, while graphene oxide significantly promoted microplastic transport by increasing surface charge and creating steric barriers. The study suggests that the co-presence of nanomaterials and organic matter in the environment can significantly alter how microplastics move through soil and groundwater systems.
Microplastic water repellency reduced by ferrihydrite coating
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Researchers investigated how coating microplastic particles with ferrihydrite iron minerals reduces their water repellency. The findings suggest that natural iron mineral coatings on microplastics in soils could alter their interaction with water and change how they move through the soil environment.
Effects of solution chemistry and humic acid on the transport of polystyrene microplastics in manganese oxides coated sand
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Column experiments showed that polystyrene microplastics had significantly lower mobility through manganese oxide-coated sand than bare sand due to electrostatic attraction and surface roughness, with humic acid increasing transport and co-transport with cadmium reducing it.
[Transport and Model Calculation of Microplastics Under the Influence of Ionic Type, Strength, and Iron Oxide].
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Laboratory column experiments showed that calcium ions strongly inhibit the transport of polystyrene microplastics through quartz sand via bridging and charge neutralization effects, while iron oxide coatings on sand grains further reduce microplastic mobility through surface adsorption. Understanding these transport dynamics is important for predicting how microplastics move through soil and groundwater systems and assessing contamination risks to drinking water sources.
Transport of nanoplastics in porous media with ferrihydrite–humic acid coprecipitation: Effect of solution chemistry, nanoplastic size and aging degree
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Researchers investigated how ferrihydrite-humic acid coprecipitates in soil affect nanoplastic transport through sand columns, finding that the mineral-organic coating weakens iron oxide retention of polystyrene nanoplastics via steric hindrance and added negative charge, and that UV aging further enhances nanoplastic mobility by increasing surface hydrophilicity and electrostatic repulsion.
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