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Combined Effects of Fe/Al Oxyhydroxide Coating and pH on Polystyrene Nanoplastic Transport in Saturated Sand Media
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Researchers found that soil pH and iron or aluminum mineral coatings on sand grains strongly control how far nanoplastics travel through the ground, with acidic, mineral-rich conditions trapping particles more effectively — findings that could help predict nanoplastic contamination of groundwater.
Nanoplastics (NPs) in the subsurface environment have received great attention recently. In this study, column experiments were conducted to investigate the individual effect of Fe and Al oxyhydroxide, and also the combined effects of the two oxyhydroxides and pH on the transport of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) in water-saturated Fe/Al oxyhydroxide-coating sand. The results showed that compared with Fe oxyhydroxide, Al oxyhydroxide exhibited a more profound impact to retain PSNPs because of its higher pHPZC (point of zero charge; Fe: 7.2, Al: 9.9). More interestingly, for pH values (Fe: 4.5–7.0, Al: 4.5–9.7) lower than Fe/Al oxyhydroxide pHPZC, Fe/Al oxyhydroxide coating dramatically enhanced the retention of negatively charged PSNPs, attributing to the less negatively charged surface and thus reduced electrostatic repulsion. In contrast, for pH values (Fe: 9.7, Al: 11.0) higher than Fe/Al oxyhydroxide pHPZC, Fe/Al oxyhydroxide coating had negligible influence on PSNP retention, because the electrostatic repulsion dominated the transport process. These results clearly demonstrate that pH strongly mediates the transport of PSNPs in Fe/Al oxyhydroxide-coated sand, and emphasize the dominant role of electrostatic interaction in PSNP transport. Findings of this study provide new insight into understanding and predicting the fate and transport of NPs in natural medias with complex physicochemical properties.
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Relevance of Iron Oxyhydroxide and Pore Water Chemistry on the Mobility of Nanoplastic Particles in Water-Saturated Porous Media Environments
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Laboratory column experiments showed that iron oxyhydroxide surface charge in porous media is a primary control on nanoplastic mobility, with positively charged surfaces trapping negatively charged polystyrene nanoparticles and negatively charged surfaces allowing free transport. Understanding these transport mechanisms in aquifers and sediments is essential for predicting how long nanoplastics persist and where they accumulate in groundwater environments.
Transport of Nanoplastics in Saturated Zeolite: Effects of Flow Rate and Hydro-Chemical Conditions
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Column experiments showed that zeolite — a mineral common in natural soils — retains polystyrene nanoplastics through electrostatic attraction and physical straining, with retention decreasing at higher pore-water flow rates. Understanding how soil mineralogy and hydrology jointly govern nanoplastic transport is fundamental to predicting where these particles accumulate in the environment and how likely they are to reach groundwater and food-crop root zones.
The Influence of Organic Acids with Different Functional Groups on the Transport of Nanoplastics in Manganese Oxide-Coated Saturated Porous Media: Coupling Effect of Structural Heterogeneity and Solution Chemistry
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This study examined microbial community composition and function in plastic bioremediation systems, characterizing the bacteria and fungi most active in degrading various polymer substrates under engineered or natural conditions. The findings identify key microbial players and metabolic pathways relevant to developing effective plastic bioremediation strategies.
Aggregation of positively charged polystyrene nanoplastics in soil–root systems
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Researchers showed that positively charged polystyrene nanoplastics aggregate in the presence of plant root exudates and soil leachate while negatively charged nanoplastics remain stable and mobile, driven by organic acid adsorption onto nanoparticle surfaces. Understanding nanoplastic charge-dependent behavior in soil-root systems is crucial for assessing how nanoplastics are taken up by crops and may enter the human food supply.
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