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Effect of water-soluble polymers on the transport of functional group-modified polystyrene nanoplastics in goethite-coated saturated porous media
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Researchers examined how polyacrylic acid (a common water-soluble polymer) influences nanoplastic migration through iron oxide-coated and uncoated quartz sand, finding that it inhibits transport in plain sand but promotes it in iron-coated media by forming an ecological corona on nanoplastic surfaces that alters electrostatic interactions and competes with iron binding sites.
The research on the impact of water-soluble polymers (WSPs) on the migration and fate of plastic particles is extremely limited. This article explored the effects of polyacrylic acid (PAA, a common WSP) and physicochemical factors on the transport of polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs-NH/COOH) with different functional groups in QS (quartz sand) and FOS (goethite-modified quartz sand, simulates mineral colloids). Research has shown that PAA can selectively adsorb onto the surface of PSNPs-NH, forming ecological corona heterogeneous aggregates. This process increased the spatial hindrance and elastic repulsion, resulting in the recovery of PSNPs-NH always exceeding that of PSNPs-COOH. Overall, PAA can hinder the migration of PSNPs in QS but can promote their migration in FOS. When multivalent cations coexist with PAA, the transport of PSNPs in the media is primarily affected by cation bridging and CH-cation-π interaction. The presence of oxyanions and PAA prevents PSNPs from following the Hofmeister rule and promotes their migration (PO: 82.34 ± 0.16% to 94.63 ± 2.82%>SO: 81.38 ± 2.73% to 91.15 ± 0.93%>NO: 55.85 ± 0.70%-87.16 ± 3.80%). The findings of this study contribute significantly to a better understanding of the migration of WSPs and group-modified NPs in complex saturated porous media.
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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.
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.
Eco-Corona FormationEnhances Cotransport of Nanoplasticsand Organic Contaminants in Porous Media
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Researchers investigated how eco-corona formation on polystyrene nanoplastics affects the cotransport of nanoplastics and organic contaminants through porous media, finding that even low masses of adsorbed environmental macromolecules significantly promoted the transport of 4-nonylphenol. Spectroscopic evidence revealed that the contaminant was sequestered between the nanoplastic surface and the eco-corona layer, with cotransport enhanced when the corona formed after contaminant adsorption.
Eco-Corona Formation Enhances Cotransport of Nanoplastics and Organic Contaminants in Porous Media
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Researchers demonstrated that eco-corona formation, the coating of nanoplastics by environmental macromolecules, significantly enhances the co-transport of nanoplastics and organic contaminants through porous media like soil. The study found that even small amounts of eco-corona on polystyrene nanoplastics promoted the transport of the pollutant 4-nonylphenol, suggesting this natural coating process may accelerate the spread of both nanoplastics and associated contaminants through the environment.
Protein corona-mediated transport of nanoplastics in seawater-saturated porous media
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Protein coatings on polystyrene nanoplastics in seawater-saturated sand dramatically altered their transport behavior: negatively charged albumin coatings enhanced transport of smaller particles while positively charged lysozyme triggered aggregation and retention of the smallest particles. The results show that protein coronas in aquatic systems can either accelerate or limit nanoplastic migration in porous environments.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.