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Metal-binding processes on nanoplastics: rare earth elements as probes
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Researchers used rare earth elements as probes to investigate metal-binding processes on nanoplastics in ocean and soil environments, revealing how nanoplastics can scavenge and concentrate trace metals in environmental systems.
The presence of nanoplastics in the ocean and soil demonstrates their global distribution in the environment.
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Nanoplastics as competitors of natural colloids in the environment: The case of gadolinium complexes
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Nanoplastics in seawater can adsorb rare earth elements such as gadolinium — a metal increasingly released into the environment from MRI contrast agents — with roughly half of gadolinium adsorbing onto nanoplastics even in complex seawater chemistry. Surprisingly, lower concentrations of nanoplastics adsorbed more gadolinium per particle, suggesting that particle aggregation at higher concentrations reduces effective surface area. This reveals that nanoplastics could act as unexpected vectors for transporting rare earth and other trace metal contamination through aquatic environments.
Bioaccessibility of Trace Metals and Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Microplastic
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Researchers measured the bioaccessibility of trace metals and rare earth elements adsorbed onto beach microplastics using simulated digestive fluid conditions. Metals were released from microplastic surfaces under stomach acid conditions, indicating that plastic ingestion can deliver these contaminants to digestive systems of marine organisms and humans.
Mechanistic description of lead sorption onto nanoplastics
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Researchers investigated the mechanisms by which nanoplastics in the environment adsorb lead and other metal contaminants. The study found that despite growing recognition of nanoplastic presence in ecosystems, the processes by which these tiny particles carry and transport metals remain poorly understood. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how nanoplastics may serve as vectors for spreading heavy metal contamination through the environment.
Multi-metal competitive adsorption on plastic polymers: Evidence from single and binary metal exposure experiments.
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Researchers tested how eight heavy metals compete for binding sites on four common plastic polymers under controlled single- and binary-metal conditions, finding that polymer type and metal combinations both drive distinct adsorption patterns, while field-collected coastal plastic debris independently confirmed polymer-dependent metal accumulation in the environment.
Are nanoplastics able to bind significant amount of metals? The lead example
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Researchers tested the capacity of beach-derived nanoplastics to bind lead, finding that while nanoplastics showed some metal binding, the quantity bound was small compared to other environmental colloids, limiting their role as significant metal vectors.
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.