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Differential Photoaging Effects on Colored Nanoplastics in Aquatic Environments: Physicochemical Properties and Aggregation Kinetics

Environmental Science & Technology 2023 63 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Jiana Su, Dan Luo, Jinjin Wang, Yongtao Li, Jiana Su, Jiahui Ruan, Dan Luo, Jiahui Ruan, Chengyu Chen, Jiahui Ruan, Jiana Su, Zhujian Huang, Jiana Su, Chengyu Chen, Chengyu Chen, Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Xingjian Yang, Jiahui Ruan, Chengyu Chen, Dan Luo, Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Dan Luo, Dan Luo, Dan Luo, Jinjin Wang, Jinjin Wang, Chengyu Chen, Zhujian Huang, Zhujian Huang, Zhujian Huang, Weilin Huang Jinjin Wang, Yongtao Li, Yulong Zhang, Chengyu Chen, Lihua Cui, Xingjian Yang, Lihua Cui, Weilin Huang Qiao-Yun Zeng, Yongtao Li, Qiao-Yun Zeng, Yongtao Li, Yulong Zhang, Weilin Huang Yongtao Li, Weilin Huang Yongtao Li, Qiao-Yun Zeng, Weilin Huang Qiao-Yun Zeng, Yongtao Li, Yongtao Li, Yongtao Li, Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Yongtao Li, Chengyu Chen, Zhujian Huang, Chengyu Chen, Yongtao Li, Yongtao Li, Weilin Huang Chengyu Chen, Lihua Cui, Yongtao Li, Lihua Cui, Yongtao Li, Yongtao Li, Weilin Huang Lihua Cui, Yongtao Li, Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Weilin Huang Chengyu Chen, Chengyu Chen, Yongtao Li, Yongtao Li, Yongtao Li, Lihua Cui, Yongtao Li, Lihua Cui, Chengyu Chen, Yongtao Li, Weilin Huang Yongtao Li, Chengyu Chen, Lihua Cui, Chengyu Chen, Chengyu Chen, Chengyu Chen, Chengyu Chen, Yongtao Li, Yulong Zhang, Weilin Huang

Summary

Researchers studied how sunlight affects differently colored nanoplastics in water, finding that lighter-colored particles break down faster than darker ones. All colors went through a predictable sequence of fading, yellowing, and becoming transparent over about three weeks of UV exposure. The study also found that the aging process changed how easily the particles clump together, which affects how they move through aquatic environments and potentially how organisms encounter them.

Nanoplastics (NPs) have different colors, which could affect their photoaging processes in aquatic environments. This study investigated the effects of irradiation on physicochemical properties and aggregation kinetics of five colored NPs. Photodegradation rates and photooxidation degrees ranked white ≈ yellow > red > blue ≈ black NPs, indicating that NPs with longer color wavelengths photoaged faster. The discoloration process followed color fading (2-14 days, except for white NPs), yellowing (10-16 days), yellow fading (18 days), and turning transparent (20-22 days). White NPs exhibited a different photoaging sequence (C-H → C-OH → C═O → O-C═O) from others. Photodegradation was mainly controlled by singlet oxygen, producing 13 chemicals that were mostly organic acids. The overall colloidal stability of pristine NPs ranked blue > yellow > red > black > white. Irradiation for 16 days retarded aggregation of white and other NPs in NaCl solution, raising the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) by 82.14 and 0.85-7.90%, respectively. Contrarily, irradiation promoted aggregation in CaCl<sub>2</sub> solution by reducing the CCC of white (67.37%) and other (33.33-37.58%) NPs. The findings demonstrate that colored NPs underwent photoaging processes different from white/transparent NPs, which were focused by previous work, highlighting the important role of color in their environmental fate and transport.

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