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Transport of Biodegradable Nanoplastics Affected by Weathering and Proteins in Unsaturated Porous Media
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Researchers investigated the transport of pristine and weathered polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate nanoplastics in unsaturated sand columns, and examined how bovine serum albumin and other proteins affect PBAT nanoplastic mobility under variably saturated flow conditions relevant to agricultural biodegradable mulch degradation.
The increasing threat from plastic pollution has promoted the widespread application of biodegradable plastic. In agriculture, biodegradable plastic, mainly in the form of biodegradable plastic mulch, has received a lot of attention due to its in-situ degradability and satisfying agronomical performances. However, biodegradable plastic mulches do not degrade instantaneously but rather fragment into micro- and nanoplastics, and these micro- and nanoplastics could reside in soil or even migrate along soil profiles. Here, we investigated the mobility of pristine and weathered polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate (PBAT) nanoplastics in sand columns under unsaturated flow conditions. We further studied the effect of proteins on the mobility of PBAT nanoplastics with both negatively charged bovine serum albumin and positively charged lysozyme. We found that (1) the pristine and the weathered PBAT nanoplastics were mobile with or without the presence of proteins; (2) the positively charged lysozyme inhibited the transport of PBAT nanoplastics; and (3) lower water saturation inhibited the transport of PBAT nanoplastics via physical straining. These results suggest that biodegradable nanoplastics generated from biodegradable plastic mulches are mobile and may transport readily along soil profiles.
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Stability and Mobility of Biodegradable Nanoplastics in the Subsurface
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Researchers studied the stability and mobility of biodegradable nanoplastics derived from polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate (PBAT) agricultural mulch in both pristine and weathered forms under varying soil and water conditions, finding that fragmentation products can persist and migrate through subsurface flow despite the biodegradable designation.
Mobility of soil-biodegradable nanoplastics in unsaturated porous media affected by protein-corona
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Biodegradable plastic mulches used in agriculture can release nanoplastics into soil, and this study shows that a protein corona — a coating of soil proteins — affects how those nanoplastics move through unsaturated soil layers. The finding matters because biodegradable labels do not guarantee that plastic particles stay put; they can still migrate toward groundwater depending on soil chemistry.
Aggregation kinetics and stability of biodegradable nanoplastics in aquatic environments: Effects of UV-weathering and proteins
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Researchers investigated the aggregation behavior of biodegradable nanoplastics (PBAT) in aquatic environments, finding that UV weathering and protein presence significantly alter their colloidal stability and aggregation kinetics, which influences their environmental fate and transport.
Effects of solution chemistry and humic acid on transport and deposition of aged microplastics in unsaturated porous media
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Researchers used column experiments to investigate how aging, ionic strength, cation type, and humic acid affect the transport of microplastics through unsaturated sandy soil. Aged microplastics with more negative surface charge transported more readily than pristine particles, and humic acid and calcium ions both affected transport in ways dependent on their concentrations.
Effects of input concentration, media particle size, and flow rate on fate of polystyrene nanoplastics in saturated porous media
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Researchers systematically tested how input concentration, sand grain size, and flow rate control nanoplastic transport through saturated porous media, finding that nanoplastics are highly mobile under most conditions and — crucially — fragment into smaller sub-100 nm particles during long-term release, potentially increasing their environmental persistence and bioavailability.
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