Presentation Information
[U08-P02]Interfacial interactions of nanoplastics with minerals in aqueous environments
*Seoyoung Park1, Hansang Lee1, Changwoo Kim1, Huijeong Hwang1 (1.Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)
Keywords:
Nanoplastics,Mineralogy,Mineral-water interface,Adsorption,Colloid geochemistry,Environmental fate and transport
Plastic waste has emerged as a pervasive geochemical component in the Earth's surface system, and the rapid proliferation of plastics has come to define the Anthropocene. Polystyrene(PS) is one of the most consumed plastics. nanoplastics (NPs) smaller than 500 nm can cross biological barriers and act as vectors for chemical contaminants. Despite its importance, little is known about the intrinsic geochemical interactions between NPs and minerals because the majority of earlier research has used functionalized plastics, which do not accurately represent old or pure environmental particles.
In this study, we synthesized non-functionalized PS NPs of various sizes (60–190 nm) to systematically assess their adsorption behavior onto five natural minerals: quartz, tourmaline, corundum, hematite, and dolomite. Through 24-hour equilibrium batch experiments, we quantified the contribution of mineralogical characteristics to NP sequestration.
Our findings demonstrate a distinct lithological control over NP mobility: at neutral pH, PS NPs showed a strong affinity for the surfaces of carbonate (Dolomite) and oxide (Corundum, Hematite), but were strongly inhibited on silicate minerals (Quartz, Tourmaline) by electrostatic repulsion. These results highlight the critical roles that surface charge and mineral crystal structure play in determining the long-term burial and geochemical fate of nanoplastics in aquatic environments. In order to forecast the intricate transport dynamics of newly emerging contaminants within the global sedimentary cycle, this study offers crucial baseline data.
In this study, we synthesized non-functionalized PS NPs of various sizes (60–190 nm) to systematically assess their adsorption behavior onto five natural minerals: quartz, tourmaline, corundum, hematite, and dolomite. Through 24-hour equilibrium batch experiments, we quantified the contribution of mineralogical characteristics to NP sequestration.
Our findings demonstrate a distinct lithological control over NP mobility: at neutral pH, PS NPs showed a strong affinity for the surfaces of carbonate (Dolomite) and oxide (Corundum, Hematite), but were strongly inhibited on silicate minerals (Quartz, Tourmaline) by electrostatic repulsion. These results highlight the critical roles that surface charge and mineral crystal structure play in determining the long-term burial and geochemical fate of nanoplastics in aquatic environments. In order to forecast the intricate transport dynamics of newly emerging contaminants within the global sedimentary cycle, this study offers crucial baseline data.