Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand Columns
Information about the influence of surface charges on nanoplastics (NPLs) transport in porous media, the influence of NPL concentrations on porous media retention capacities, and changes in porous media adsorption capacities in the presence of natural water components are still scarce. In this study...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/6/529 |
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| author | Gabriela Hul Hande Okutan Philippe Le Coustumer Stéphan Ramseier Gentile Stéphane Zimmermann Pascal Ramaciotti Pauline Perdaems Serge Stoll |
| author_facet | Gabriela Hul Hande Okutan Philippe Le Coustumer Stéphan Ramseier Gentile Stéphane Zimmermann Pascal Ramaciotti Pauline Perdaems Serge Stoll |
| author_sort | Gabriela Hul |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Information about the influence of surface charges on nanoplastics (NPLs) transport in porous media, the influence of NPL concentrations on porous media retention capacities, and changes in porous media adsorption capacities in the presence of natural water components are still scarce. In this study, laboratory column experiments are conducted to investigate the transport behavior of positively charged amidine polystyrene (PS) latex NPLs and negatively charged sulfate PS latex NPLs in quartz sand columns saturated with ultrapure water and Geneva Lake water, respectively. Results obtained for ultrapure water show that amidine PS latex NPLs have more affinity for negatively charged sand surfaces than sulfate PS latex NPLs because of the presence of attractive electrical forces. As for the Geneva Lake water, under natural conditions, both NPL types and sand are negatively charged. Therefore, the presence of repulsion forces reduces NPL’s affinity for sand surfaces. The calculated adsorption capacities of sand grains for the removal of both types of NPLs from both types of water are oscillating around 0.008 and 0.004 mg g<sup>−1</sup> for NPL concentrations of 100 and 500 mg L<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. SEM micrography shows individual NPLs or aggregates attached to the sand and confirms the limited role of the adsorption process in NPL retention. The important NPL retention, especially in the case of negatively charged NPLs, in Geneva Lake water-saturated columns is related to heteroaggregate formation and their further straining inside narrow pores. The presence of DOM and metal cations is then crucial to trigger the aggregation process and NPL retention. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:57:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a6a65ed89734b088982dcb5b395c404 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:57:21Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a6a65ed89734b088982dcb5b395c4042024-03-27T13:57:36ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912024-03-0114652910.3390/nano14060529Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand ColumnsGabriela Hul0Hande Okutan1Philippe Le Coustumer2Stéphan Ramseier Gentile3Stéphane Zimmermann4Pascal Ramaciotti5Pauline Perdaems6Serge Stoll7Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandEcole Doctorale, Université de Bordeaux Montaigne, 33607 Pessac, FranceEcole Doctorale, Université de Bordeaux Montaigne, 33607 Pessac, FranceSIG—Industrial Services of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandSIG—Industrial Services of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandSIG—Industrial Services of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandSIG—Industrial Services of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, SwitzerlandDepartment F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandInformation about the influence of surface charges on nanoplastics (NPLs) transport in porous media, the influence of NPL concentrations on porous media retention capacities, and changes in porous media adsorption capacities in the presence of natural water components are still scarce. In this study, laboratory column experiments are conducted to investigate the transport behavior of positively charged amidine polystyrene (PS) latex NPLs and negatively charged sulfate PS latex NPLs in quartz sand columns saturated with ultrapure water and Geneva Lake water, respectively. Results obtained for ultrapure water show that amidine PS latex NPLs have more affinity for negatively charged sand surfaces than sulfate PS latex NPLs because of the presence of attractive electrical forces. As for the Geneva Lake water, under natural conditions, both NPL types and sand are negatively charged. Therefore, the presence of repulsion forces reduces NPL’s affinity for sand surfaces. The calculated adsorption capacities of sand grains for the removal of both types of NPLs from both types of water are oscillating around 0.008 and 0.004 mg g<sup>−1</sup> for NPL concentrations of 100 and 500 mg L<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. SEM micrography shows individual NPLs or aggregates attached to the sand and confirms the limited role of the adsorption process in NPL retention. The important NPL retention, especially in the case of negatively charged NPLs, in Geneva Lake water-saturated columns is related to heteroaggregate formation and their further straining inside narrow pores. The presence of DOM and metal cations is then crucial to trigger the aggregation process and NPL retention.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/6/529nanoplasticsporous mediamobilityretentionaggregationstraining |
| spellingShingle | Gabriela Hul Hande Okutan Philippe Le Coustumer Stéphan Ramseier Gentile Stéphane Zimmermann Pascal Ramaciotti Pauline Perdaems Serge Stoll Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand Columns Nanomaterials nanoplastics porous media mobility retention aggregation straining |
| title | Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand Columns |
| title_full | Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand Columns |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand Columns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand Columns |
| title_short | Influence of Concentration, Surface Charge, and Natural Water Components on the Transport and Adsorption of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Sand Columns |
| title_sort | influence of concentration surface charge and natural water components on the transport and adsorption of polystyrene nanoplastics in sand columns |
| topic | nanoplastics porous media mobility retention aggregation straining |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/6/529 |
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