We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Influence of typical clay minerals on aggregation and settling of pristine and aged polyethylene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how common clay minerals affect the aggregation and settling behavior of pristine and aged polyethylene microplastics in water. They found that high salt concentrations promoted the settling of microplastics when clay minerals were present, and that electrostatic repulsion was the dominant force governing interactions between plastics and clay particles. The findings provide new insights into how microplastics are transported and deposited in natural water systems.
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging as a class of pollutants that are a potential threat to biological and human health. Aggregation and settling are crucial to controlling MPs transport and environmental fate. However, the influence of clay minerals in the aqueous environment on the aggregation-settling processes of larger size MPs and its mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, homoaggregation of pristine and aged polyethylene microplastics (PEs) and heteroaggregation-settling of PEs with typical clay minerals (chlorite, illite, kaolinite, montmorillonite) under different hydrochemical conditions (NaCl, CaCl, MgCl) were systematically investigated. The results showed that the cation type has a greater influence on the homoaggregation system. In detail, the aged PEs is more stable than pristine PEs in monovalent electrolyte solutions, but not in divalent electrolytes. In heteroaggregation systems, electrostatic repulsion dominates the interaction of PEs (pristine, aged) with clay minerals. However, the settling ratio of PEs (pristine, aged) contributed by clay minerals is not very dependent on the clay mineral type. Conversely, high NaCl concentrations are more conducive to the heteroaggregation-settling of PEs, which can be explained by the DLVO theory. The findings of this study provide new insights into the environmental fate and distribution of MPs in natural waters.
More Papers Like This
Heterogeneous aggregation of microplastics and mineral particles in aquatic environments: Effects of surface functional groups, pH, and electrolytes
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how microplastics clump together with soil and rock minerals in water, finding that positively charged minerals bound to plastic particles nearly three times more effectively than clay minerals, and that low pH and calcium ions dramatically accelerated aggregation. Understanding these dynamics helps predict where microplastics will settle or stay suspended in rivers, lakes, and aquifers.
Colloidal Interactions of Microplastic Particles with Anionic Clays in Electrolyte Solutions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers systematically investigated homoaggregation of polystyrene microplastics and heteroaggregation with layered double hydroxide (LDH) clay in different salt solutions, finding that salt type and ionic strength strongly affected aggregation behavior consistent with DLVO theory. Heteroaggregation between microplastics and clay minerals was favorable under most tested conditions, which affects microplastic transport and sedimentation in natural waters.
Heteroaggregation and deposition behaviors of carboxylated nanoplastics with different types of clay minerals in aquatic environments: Important role of calcium(II) ion-assisted bridging
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how nanoplastics interact with common clay minerals found in water, which affects how far the plastic particles can travel through the environment. Calcium and other positively charged ions act as bridges that cause nanoplastics to clump together with clay and settle out of water more quickly. Understanding this process is important because it determines whether nanoplastics stay suspended in drinking water sources or settle into sediments where they can affect bottom-dwelling organisms.
Aggregation of microplastics and clay particles in the nearshore environment: Characteristics, influencing factors, and implications
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how microplastics interact with natural clay particles in coastal waters, examining how factors like salinity, pH, and particle properties influence their aggregation behavior. They found that microplastics readily form clusters with clay particles, which changes how they settle and move through nearshore environments. Understanding this aggregation process is important for predicting where microplastics end up in coastal ecosystems and their potential exposure to marine organisms.
Suspended clay and surfactants enhance buoyant microplastic settling
AI summary Read the abstract
Laboratory experiments found that suspended clay particles and surfactants can enhance the settling of buoyant microplastics by promoting aggregation and density increase, providing a physico-chemical mechanism explaining how buoyant plastics can sink in natural water bodies.
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.