Naslov
Synthesis and characterisation of polymer nanoparticles and their behaviour in aquatic environments

Autori
Jurković, Lara ; Čarapar, Ivana ; Lyons, Daniel Mark

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
28HSKIKI : 28th Croatian Meeting of Chemists and Chemical Engineers and 6th Symposium Vladimir Prelog : Book of Abstracts / Rogošić, Marko - Zagreb : Hrvatsko društvo kemijskih inženjera i tehnologa (HDKI), 2023, 40-40

Skup
28. Hrvatski skup kemičara i kemijskih inženjera s međunarodnim sudjelovanjem

Mjesto i datum
Rovinj, Hrvatska, 28.03.2023. - 31.03.2023

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Recenziran

Ključne riječi
polymer nanoparticles ; nanoplastics ; physical characterisation ; aquatic environments

Sažetak
Plastics in the environment has become a global problem, not only due to their presence as macro-scale marine litter, but also as small particles arising from the degradation of larger plastics under UV light and the mechanical action of waves. As the smallest fraction, nanoparticles of plastic, typically characterised by dimensions less than 100 nm, may be extremely widespread and available to biota, potentially leading to bioaccumulation and biomagnification within food chains that may ultimately impact upon human health. Moreover, as nanoplastics have significant ability to sorb secondary pollutants, understanding their behaviour and fate in marine waters is of great importance, particularly in terms of their toxicity potential towards biota. In this direction, we report on the synthesis, characterisation and behaviour of polymer nanoparticles in aquatic matrices. Polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) nanoparticles were synthesised by mini-emulsion polymerisation with sizes in range 25- 430 nm. Narrow particle size distributions by volume were demonstrated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), and their morphology was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The concurrent influence of abiotic parameters and natural organic matter (NOM) on nanoplastic stability was determined in aqueous matrices with varying electrolyte concentrations as proxies for freshwater, brackish water and seawater. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was selected as a model for proteinaceous matter in wastewater, while humic acid (HA) and alginate (Alg) were selected as representatives of NOM in fresh and marine waters, respectively. The influence of salinity, ranging between S 0-38, pH values from 6.8 to 7.8 and NOM at concentrations in range 0-100 mg L–1 was determined. Additionally, the impact of oxygen saturation (50% and 90%) on nanoplastic behaviour was defined. PMMA nanoparticles showed strong colloidal stability in all cases, in contrast to PS nanoparticles, and despite of the widely varying parameters did not show any indication of agglomeration/aggregation. This indicates that of the tested nanoplastics, PMMA may remain longer in the water column and be more available for sequestration by biota living in those environmental compartments. Ultimately, this work is a step in the direction of creating tailored polymer nanoparticles to enable greater understanding of their pathways through the environment and modes of toxicity in marine biota.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kemija, Interdisciplinarne prirodne znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA