We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Mobility of soil-biodegradable nanoplastics in unsaturated porous media affected by protein-corona
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Soil-biodegradable plastic has been increasingly used as mulches in agriculture, which provides not only agronomical benefits but also in situ disposal and biodegradation options.
More Papers Like This
A comparative study of microplastics under the influence of soil-typical eco-coronas through laboratory and field incubation experiments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared the formation and properties of soil-typical eco-coronas on microplastics through both laboratory incubation and real-world field experiments, examining how natural organic matter coatings of proteins, carbohydrates, and humic acids alter microplastic surface hydrophobicity and transport behaviour. The study found that eco-corona composition significantly influences how microplastics move through terrestrial environments and interact with soil organisms.
Unraveling the interfacial fate of nanoplastics in soil: proteomics and molecular dynamics decipher the protein corona governed by surface functionalization
AI summary Read the abstract
This study used proteomics and molecular dynamics simulations to examine how soil proteins coat nanoplastics — forming what is called a 'protein corona' — and how that coating changes depending on the nanoplastic's surface chemistry. The protein corona affects how nanoplastics move through soil and interact with living organisms, making this research important for understanding the true environmental fate of nanoplastics once they enter land ecosystems.
Cotransport of nanoplastics and plastic additive bisphenol AF (BPAF) in unsaturated hyporheic zone: Coupling effects of surface functionalization and protein corona
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how surface modifications and protein coatings affect the movement of nanoplastics and the plastic additive bisphenol AF through simulated riverbed sediments. The study found that both surface functionalization and protein corona formation significantly altered the transport behavior and retention of nanoplastics in unsaturated soil conditions. Evidence indicates that environmental transformations of nanoplastic surfaces play a key role in determining how plastics and associated contaminants spread through hyporheic zones.
Understanding the formation and influence of soil-typical eco-coronas on microplastics through laboratory and field incubation experiments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted laboratory and field incubation experiments to characterize eco-corona formation on microplastics in soil, finding that soil-derived organic matter including humic acids, proteins, and carbohydrates forms a coating that alters MP surface properties, transport behavior, and adsorption efficiency in terrestrial environments.
A comparative study of microplastics under the influence of soil-typical eco-coronas through laboratory and field incubation experiments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared microplastic behavior under laboratory and field incubation conditions when eco-coronas — natural surface coatings of organic matter, proteins, and humic acids — were present on particles, assessing how these coatings modify microplastic hydrophobicity, transport, and toxicity to soil organisms.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.