We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Weathering pathways differentially affect colloidal stability of nanoplastics
ClearAggregation kinetics and stability of biodegradable nanoplastics in aquatic environments: Effects of UV-weathering and proteins
Researchers investigated the aggregation behavior of biodegradable nanoplastics (PBAT) in aquatic environments, finding that UV weathering and protein presence significantly alter their colloidal stability and aggregation kinetics, which influences their environmental fate and transport.
Aggregation kinetics of UV irradiated nanoplastics in aquatic environments
Researchers compared the aggregation behavior of fresh versus UV-aged polystyrene nanoplastics under various aquatic conditions. They found that UV aging altered the surface chemistry of nanoplastics, making them more stable in water and less likely to aggregate, which means they could remain suspended and bioavailable for longer periods. The study suggests that weathered nanoplastics may behave very differently from fresh particles in the environment, complicating risk assessments.
Aggregation Kinetics and Stability of Biodegradable Nanoplastics: Effects of Weathering and Proteins
Researchers studied how weathering and proteins affect the aggregation and stability of biodegradable nanoplastics in water. Biodegradable plastics can still generate persistent nanoscale particles that behave differently depending on environmental conditions, complicating assumptions about their safety compared to conventional plastics.
The environmental fate of nanoplastics: What we know and what we need to know about aggregation
Researchers systematically analyzed experimental studies on nanoplastic aggregation behavior, evaluating the environmental relevance of 377 solution chemistries and 163 particle models. The study found that commonly used polymer latex spheres do not accurately represent real-world nanoplastics, and suggests that incidentally produced nanoplastics may be more sensitive to heteroaggregation than previously expected.
Environmental Implications of Physicochemical Differences Between Environmental Nanoplastics and Their Commercial Forms
Researchers conceptually analyzed physicochemical differences between environmentally aged nanoplastics and their commercial engineered forms, examining how natural aging alters surface properties, environmental stability, and behavior in aquatic media for five types of environmentally relevant nanoplastic models.
Photoaging-induced variations in heteroaggregation of nanoplastics and suspended sediments in aquatic environments: A case study on nanopolystyrene
Researchers investigated how photoaging affects the aggregation behavior of polystyrene nanoplastics with suspended sediments in water. They found that 30 days of photoaging retarded aggregation in sodium chloride solutions due to steric hindrance from leached organic matter, but promoted aggregation in calcium chloride solutions through calcium bridging of newly formed oxygen-containing surface groups. The study provides mechanistic insights into how environmental weathering changes the transport and fate of nanoplastics in aquatic systems.
Photoaging alters the aggregation behavior of functionalized nanoplastics differently: effects of leached organic matter and surface properties changes
This study found that UV photoaging of nanoplastics changes their surface chemistry and causes them to release organic compounds, but the downstream effect on how particles clump together (aggregation) differs markedly depending on what chemical groups are on the particle surface. This matters because aggregation behaviour controls whether nanoplastics sink or stay suspended in water, affecting which organisms are exposed and how far the particles travel.
Nanoplastics display strong stability in aqueous environments: Insights from aggregation behaviour and theoretical calculations
Nanoplastics released into aquatic environments were found to be highly stable and resist aggregation and settling under many conditions, meaning they can persist and disperse widely rather than quickly sinking. This environmental stability makes nanoplastics particularly concerning as long-lived and mobile contaminants in water systems.
Natural Organic Matter Stabilizes Pristine Nanoplastics but Destabilizes Photochemical Weathered Nanoplastics in Monovalent Electrolyte Solutions
This study examined how sunlight weathering and natural organic matter coatings change the behavior of nanoplastics in water. Researchers found that organic matter stabilizes fresh nanoplastics but actually destabilizes sun-weathered ones, meaning aged nanoplastics in natural waters may clump together and settle differently than expected, affecting where they end up in aquatic environments.
Effect of the Surface Hydrophobicity–Morphology–Functionality of Nanoplastics on Their Homoaggregation in Seawater
Researchers found that nanoplastic surface hydrophobicity, morphology, and functional chemistry strongly govern homoaggregation behavior in aquatic environments, with more hydrophobic and functionalized particles forming larger, faster-settling aggregates that alter their environmental fate and bioavailability.
Environmental Degradation and Fragmentation of Microplastics: Dependence on Polymer Type, Humidity, UV Dose and Temperature
A systematic study of UV dose, humidity, and temperature effects on six polymer types found that photo-oxidation is the primary driver of microplastic fragmentation and release of secondary nano-sized particles, with the relationship between weathering conditions and fragmentation rates varying by polymer type.
Exposure Order to Photoaging and Humic Acids Significantly Modifies the Aggregation and Transformation of Nanoplastics in Aqueous Solutions
Researchers discovered that the order in which nanoplastics are exposed to sunlight and natural organic matter significantly changes how they clump together and behave in water. Nanoplastics aged by sunlight before encountering humic acids behaved differently than those exposed in the reverse order. This finding is important for predicting how nanoplastics actually move and persist in real-world water environments.
Aggregation behavior of photoaging nanoplastics in artificial sweat solutions
This study examined how nanoplastics behave when they come into contact with human sweat, finding that acidic sweat promotes clumping of the particles while alkaline sweat keeps them stable and dispersed. Sunlight aging of the nanoplastics changed their surface chemistry, further affecting how they aggregate in sweat. These findings are important for understanding skin exposure to nanoplastics, since how the particles clump or disperse in sweat affects whether they can penetrate the skin.
Understanding the stability of nanoplastics in aqueous environments: effect of ionic strength, temperature, dissolved organic matter, clay, and heavy metals
This study examined how environmental factors including ionic strength, temperature, dissolved organic matter, and clay affect the stability and aggregation of nanoplastics in water, finding that these conditions significantly influence particle behavior. Understanding nanoplastic stability is critical for predicting their fate, transport, and bioavailability in aquatic systems.
Effect of Dry Soil Aggregate Size on Microplastic Distribution and Its Implications for Microplastic Emissions Induced by Wind Erosion
Researchers investigated the aggregation behavior and toxicity of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics in freshwater under varying pH and ionic conditions, finding that aggregation reduced acute toxicity to Daphnia magna but increased sedimentation and benthic exposure. Environmental chemistry strongly mediates nanoplastic risk.
Micro- and Nanoplastic Processes: Degradation, Fragmentation, Aggregation and the Need for Environmentally Relevant Reference Materials
This research review explains how tiny plastic particles break down and change when exposed to sunlight, water, and bacteria in the environment. These weathered plastic pieces behave very differently from fresh plastics—they can clump together and move through soil and water in new ways, potentially affecting where they end up in our food and water systems. Understanding how plastics age and change is crucial for predicting their long-term impacts on human health and the environment.
Effects of temperature and particle concentration on aggregation of nanoplastics in freshwater and seawater
The aggregation behavior of nanoplastics in freshwater and seawater was studied at different temperatures and particle concentrations, finding that salinity, particle concentration, and temperature all significantly influenced aggregation rates with implications for nanoplastic fate in aquatic environments.
Aging Process of Microplastics in the Environment
This review examines how natural environmental processes — UV radiation, physical abrasion, chemical reactions, and biodegradation — alter the surface, shape, and chemistry of microplastics over time, and how these changes affect their ability to absorb and transport other pollutants. Understanding microplastic aging is critical because weathered particles behave differently than fresh plastic, often becoming more hazardous as pollutant carriers in ecosystems.
From Pristine to Laboratory-weathered Micro- and Nanoplastics: Interaction with Environmental Contaminants and Biological Effects
This review contrasts pristine and laboratory-weathered micro- and nanoplastics in terms of surface chemistry, adsorption of co-contaminants, and biological effects, arguing that weathered particles better represent real-world exposures and often exhibit different or greater toxicity.
Impact of aging on nanoplastic aggregation and release from low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
Researchers studied how aging processes like UV irradiation and heat treatment affect nanoplastic generation and aggregation from low-density polyethylene. The study found that heat treatment significantly promotes nanoplastic release and increases particle stability through more negative surface charges, while UV-aged nanoplastics showed more complex aggregation behavior, highlighting how environmental weathering influences nanoplastic fate.
Weathering pathways and protocols for environmentally relevant microplastics and nanoplastics: What are we missing?
This review highlights a major gap in microplastics research: most lab studies use brand-new, pristine plastic particles, but microplastics in the real world have been weathered by sunlight, water, and biological activity. Weathered microplastics behave differently, releasing more chemicals and interacting with organisms in ways that fresh plastics do not. Only about 10% of published studies have used aged microplastics, meaning current risk assessments may not reflect the true dangers of environmental microplastic exposure.
Effects of Weathering on Microplastic Dispersibility and Pollutant Uptake Capacity
This study examined how environmental weathering changes the surface properties of microplastics and their ability to absorb co-pollutants, finding that weathered MPs bind more contaminants than pristine particles due to surface oxidation and cracking. The results emphasize that the environmental fate and toxicity of microplastics change dynamically as they age in the environment.
Heteroaggregation of nanoplastic particles in the presence of inorganic colloids and natural organic matter
Nanoplastics were found to heteroaggregate extensively with inorganic colloids and natural organic matter in both freshwater and marine conditions, altering their size, surface charge, and settling behavior compared to pristine particles. The study demonstrates that nanoplastic behavior in natural waters is dominated by interactions with other environmental constituents rather than the intrinsic properties of the plastic alone.
Destabilization of photochemical weathered nanoplastics by natural organic matter in monovalent electrolyte solutions
Researchers investigated how photochemical weathering of nanoplastics alters the adsorption of natural organic matter (NOM) and subsequent colloidal stability in monovalent electrolyte solutions, comparing pristine and photoaged polystyrene nanoplastics exposed to Suwannee River NOM. They found that photoaging modified the eco-corona structure formed by NOM adsorption, destabilizing nanoplastic aggregation behavior in aquatic environments.