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Impact of fertilizers on polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics migration in groundwater: A combined experimental and simulation approach
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Researchers investigated how three fertilizer components — urea, calcium phosphate, and sodium sulfate — individually and in combination affect the migration behaviour of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanoplastics through quartz sand porous media, using column experiments combined with simulation modelling. The study found that fertilizer composition significantly altered nanoplastic transport, with ionic strength and specific ion effects modulating particle mobility in groundwater systems.
This study investigated the effects of three fertilizer components-urea [CO(NH)], calcium phosphate [Ca(PO)], and sodium sulfate [NaSO]-as well as their combinations, on the migration behavior of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanoplastics in quartz sand porous media, using laboratory column experiments and molecular dynamics simulations.Experimental results showed that under single-fertilizer conditions, all three components significantly inhibited the migration of PET nanoplastics. Under the same experimental conditions, the order of inhibitory effect was Ca(PO)>NaSO> CO(NH). Among them, Ca(PO) exhibited the most pronounced inhibitory effect through the dual mechanisms of reducing electrostatic repulsion and facilitating Ca bridging. Additionally, a synergistic effect was observed between mixed fertilizer components, which further enhanced the inhibitory effect on PET migration. Results from molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the individual addition of each of the three fertilizer components altered the interaction energy between the PET nanoplastic suspension and the quartz sand surface. This study reveals the inhibitory mechanism by which fertilizers influence PET nanoplastics in porous media: fertilizers modify the surface properties of the medium and the stability of PET nanoparticles, thereby inhibiting PET migration. The findings provide an important theoretical basis for the prevention and control of microplastic pollution in agricultural practices, soil, and groundwater.
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Scientists used laboratory experiments and molecular simulations to study how phosphate and calcium ions in soil water affect whether polystyrene nanoplastics move freely through the ground or get trapped in soil particles. They found that pH was a key factor: at lower pH levels, phosphate helped nanoplastics travel farther while calcium restricted movement, with both effects linked to how these ions change the surface charge of both the particles and the soil. Understanding nanoplastic mobility in soil is essential for predicting contamination of groundwater and crops.
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