Papers

61,005 results
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Review Tier 2

How Do Micro‐ and Nanoplastics (MNPs) Affect Contaminant Removal by Nano Zero‐Valent Iron (nZVI) in Water and Soil?: A Review

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics interfere with nano zero-valent iron (nZVI), a widely used material for cleaning up contaminated groundwater and soil, finding that plastic particles typically reduce nZVI's effectiveness by clogging reactive sites and causing premature aging. The finding matters because it suggests that microplastic contamination at remediation sites could undermine cleanup efforts for other pollutants like heavy metals and organic compounds, requiring modified iron formulations (such as sulfidated nZVI) to maintain performance.

2026 CLEAN - Soil Air Water
Article Tier 2

Remediation of Micropalstic-heavy Metal Cocontaminated Soils Using Nanoscale Zero-valent Iron Supported on Palygorskite: Mechanisms and Effectiveness

Researchers developed a remediation approach for soils co-contaminated with microplastics and heavy metals using nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on palygorskite. The composite material effectively inhibited microplastic migration in soil and reduced heavy metal mobility, with the microplastic content in deeper soil layers remaining at only about 8% of initial levels after treatment.

2025 Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Remediation of Cr(VI)-Contaminated Soil by Nano-Zero-Valent Iron in Combination with Biochar or Humic Acid and the Consequences for Plant Performance

Researchers tested nano-scale zero-valent iron combined with biochar or humic acid to remediate chromium(VI)-contaminated soil, finding that combinations outperformed bare nano-iron alone and that biochar amendments improved plant growth and reduced chromium uptake.

2020 Toxics 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental remediation approaches by nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) based on its reductivity: a review

This review covers how nanoscale zero-valent iron particles can be used to clean up contaminated wastewater through chemical reduction of pollutants like heavy metals and organic compounds. While not directly about microplastics, these remediation technologies are relevant because they represent advanced approaches to treating the kinds of contaminated water that often also contains microplastic pollution.

2024 RSC Advances 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Carboxymethylcellulose-modified nano-zero-valent iron (C-nZVI) promotes ryegrass phytoremediation of cadmium in sediments co-contaminated with multiple microplastics: Mechanisms revealed by PLS-PM

A study found that applying carboxymethylcellulose-modified nano-zero-valent iron (C-nZVI) to soils co-contaminated with cadmium and six types of microplastics significantly boosted ryegrass growth and cadmium uptake while stabilising the metal in a less bioavailable form in the sediment. The results suggest C-nZVI could help rehabilitate agricultural soils facing the increasingly common problem of simultaneous microplastic and heavy-metal pollution.

2026 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Fabrication of a carbon cloth-based FeS nanosystem for simultaneous removal of Cr(VI) and microplastics

Researchers fabricated a carbon cloth-based iron sulfide (FeS) nanosystem capable of simultaneously removing hexavalent chromium and microplastics from water, addressing the challenge of combined heavy metal and plastic pollution from industrial and agricultural sources.

2023 Separation and Purification Technology 15 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of various microplastics on PBDEs contaminated soil remediation by nZVI and sulfide-nZVI: Impedance, electron-accepting/-donating capacity and aging

PVC, PS, and PP microplastics in contaminated soil inhibited the degradation of the brominated flame retardant BDE209 by nano-zero-valent iron and sulfided nZVI to varying degrees, with inhibition linked to microplastic impedance and electron-accepting capacity, while microplastics themselves showed aging and fragmentation during the remediation process.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Driving synergistic Fe-N-Plastic co-metabolism and functional microbial symbiosis via nZVI@RA for enhanced decontamination in constructed wetlands

Researchers developed a recycled aggregate-supported nano-zero valent iron material (nZVI@RA) and demonstrated that it profoundly reshapes microbial communities in constructed wetlands to enhance synergistic iron, nitrogen, and nanoplastic co-metabolism, improving simultaneous decontamination performance.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Improved Cadmium Removal Induced by Interaction of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron and Microplastics Debris

Researchers investigated how PVC microplastics interact with nanoscale zero-valent iron used to remove cadmium from contaminated water. The presence of microplastics actually enhanced cadmium removal, likely due to adsorption on the plastic surface. These findings are relevant because PVC production uses cadmium compounds, meaning both pollutants may co-occur in real environments.

2023 Journal of Environmental Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Heavy metal remediation by nano zero-valent iron in the presence of microplastics in groundwater: Inhibition and induced promotion on aging effects

Researchers found that microplastics in groundwater significantly influenced the performance of nano zero-valent iron used for heavy metal remediation, with some microplastic types inhibiting and others promoting the aging and reactivity of the nanomaterial depending on polymer type and concentration.

2021 Environmental Pollution 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Mini review on the application research of nanoscale zero valent iron in water treatment

This mini-review covers nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) particles as tools for environmental pollution control, capable of adsorbing and chemically reducing heavy metals and organic contaminants in water. These nanomaterials are also being explored for microplastic removal and the breakdown of plastic-associated chemical pollutants in water treatment.

2023 Proceedings of International Exchange and Innovation Conference on Engineering & Sciences (IEICES) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Deciphering theRole of Heavy Metals in Zero-ValentIron-Driven Dechlorination of PVC Microplastics under Mild Condition

Researchers demonstrated that nanoscale zerovalent iron can effectively dechlorinate PVC microplastics under mild anaerobic conditions, with heavy metals playing a critical modulating role — nickel and copper promoted dechlorination while chromium significantly inhibited it. The dechlorination efficiency ranking of Ni > Cu > Co > Cr reflects differences in electron transfer promotion and active iron phase formation.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI)-Based Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs): Applications, Mechanisms, and Future Prospects

This review covers how tiny iron particles called nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) can be used to break down organic pollutants in water through advanced chemical reactions. These methods show promise for cleaning up contaminated environments, including water sources affected by plastic-related and other industrial pollutants. The technology is cost-effective and environmentally friendly, though challenges remain in scaling it up.

2023 Nanomaterials 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the interactions between microplastics and heavy metals in agricultural soil solution: adsorption performance influenced by microplastic types

Environmental-simulating microplastics (aged under environmental conditions) showed higher cadmium and chromium adsorption capacity than commercial microplastics in agricultural soil solutions, with surface oxidation increasing adsorption—suggesting that aged microplastics are more effective co-transporters of heavy metals in contaminated agricultural soils.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Microplastics-Plants on the Bioavailability of Copper and Zinc in the Soil of a Sewage Irrigation Area

Researchers examined how different concentrations of microplastics affect the bioavailability of copper and zinc in sewage-irrigated soils, finding that microplastics can alter heavy metal mobility and plant uptake, with implications for food safety in contaminated agricultural areas.

2023 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Capture-reduction mechanism for promoting Cr(VI) removal by sulfidated microscale zerovalent iron/sulfur-doped graphene-like biochar composite

Researchers developed a sulfidated zerovalent iron composite with sulfur-doped biochar that enhanced chromium removal from water through a capture-reduction mechanism, overcoming the oxide passivation problem that limits conventional iron-based remediation.

2023 Carbon Research 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial iron mining: a nature-based solution for pollution removal and resource recovery from contaminated soils

Researchers reviewed microbial iron mining as a nature-based solution for removing pollution and recovering resources from contaminated soils. The study examines how iron-cycling microorganisms can remediate soils containing various pollutants including microplastics, offering a transformative approach aligned with UN ecosystem restoration goals.

2025 Environmental and Biogeochemical Processes 1 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Nano-Iron Oxide (Fe3O4) Mitigates the Effects of Microplastics on a Ryegrass Soil–Microbe–Plant System

This study tested whether nano-iron oxide particles could reduce the harmful effects of microplastics on ryegrass, soil health, and soil microbes. The researchers found that adding nano-iron oxide alongside microplastic-contaminated soil helped restore plant growth and beneficial microbial activity. This suggests that certain nanomaterials could potentially be used to counteract microplastic damage in agricultural soils where our food is grown.

2023 ACS Nano 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinctive adsorption and desorption behaviors of temporal and post-treatment heavy metals by iron nanoparticles in the presence of microplastics

Microplastics inhibited adsorption of most heavy metals by nano-zero-valent iron and facilitated their desorption during post-treatment, with the effect primarily affecting metals binding through surface complexation or electrostatic interaction rather than metals involved in redox reactions, providing insights for improved contaminated site remediation.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Modified nano zero-valent iron reduce toxicity of polystyrene microplastics to ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.)

Researchers found that modified nano zero-valent iron particles can reduce the harmful effects of polystyrene microplastics on ryegrass growth. The microplastics alone caused significant declines in shoot weight and root length, but adding sulfidated or cellulose-modified iron nanoparticles to the soil helped alleviate these toxic effects. The study suggests that engineered nanomaterials could serve as a potential remediation strategy for microplastic-contaminated soils.

2023 Chemosphere 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Iron minerals: A frontline barrier against combined toxicity of microplastics and arsenic

Researchers investigated the interactions between microplastics, arsenic, and the iron mineral goethite in soil and their combined effects on wheat germination. They found that while microplastics reduced arsenic accumulation in wheat, the combination of both contaminants still impaired plant growth. The study suggests that goethite can serve as a frontline barrier that mitigates the combined toxicity of microplastics and arsenic in contaminated soils.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergetic Interactions of Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) and Anaerobic Bacteria in Groundwater Remediation: A Review

This review examines how combinations of zero-valent iron nanoparticles and anaerobic bacteria can work together to break down halogenated organic compounds and heavy metals that contaminate groundwater from industrial activities. This synergistic bioremediation approach offers promise as a more effective and cost-efficient alternative to conventional groundwater cleanup methods.

2022 Eurasian Journal of Science and Engineering
Article Tier 2

Deciphering the Role of Heavy Metals in Zero-Valent Iron-Driven Dechlorination of PVC Microplastics under Mild Condition

Researchers demonstrated that nanoscale zerovalent iron facilitates aging and dechlorination of PVC microplastics under mild anaerobic conditions, with heavy metals modulating efficiency — nickel and copper promoted dechlorination through electron transfer enhancement while chromium inhibited the process. The dechlorination efficiency followed a ranking of Ni > Cu > Co > Cr based on their distinct effects on active iron phase formation.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Iron scrap derived nano zero-valent iron/biochar activated persulfate for p-arsanilic acid decontamination with coexisting microplastics

A biochar-loaded nano zero-valent iron material derived from iron scrap effectively degraded p-arsanilic acid via persulfate activation, and the study also examined how co-existing microplastics modified the removal efficiency of this organoarsenic pollutant.

2024 Journal of Environmental Sciences 9 citations