Are carbon-based nanomaterials for the adsorption of organic contaminants perform better than nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs)?

Year 2021, Volume: 16 Issue: 2, 72 - 81, 30.06.2021

Gamze Ersan , Mahmut Ersan

Abstract

The presence of nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs), and carbon-based nanomaterials in the aquatic systems may impact the fate and transport of existing organic contaminants (OCs). In this study, we investigated the adsorption of selected OCs (pyrene, bisphenol A, and phenanthrene) on MPs, NPs and carbon-based nanomaterials (graphene, graphene oxide [GO], single-walled carbon nanotube [SWCNT], multiwalled carbon nanotube [MWCNT]), and coal-based activated carbons (AC). This study includes a discussion of the adsorption mechanisms of OCs by commercial, consumer, and biodegradable MPs and/or NPs, and a comparison of their adsorption behaviors with those of graphene, GO, SWCNT, MWCNT, and AC. Single point adsorption descriptors (Kd values) at different equilibrium concentrations were calculated for each adsorbent, and the results showed that adsorption of pyrene and bisphenol A on MWCNT was higher than graphene and NPs. Besides, Kd values at different equilibrium concentrations (Kd0.0001 vs Kd0.001) also present that pyrene uptake on CNT and NPs were increasing more than graphene with increasing equilibrium concentrations. When the adsorption capacities (indicated by Kd) of graphene, GO, CNT and AC were compared with PS and PE based MPs, and biodegradable MPs, Kd values of carbon-based nonabsorbent, and AC were 1.5-2 times higher than MPs. This might be related to the higher surface area of carbonaceous adsorbents (i.e., 150-700 m2/g). After adsorption capacity of phenanthrene was normalized by the BET surface area of adsorbents the adsorption capacity followed an order of PS-based MPs > PE-based MPs ~ Biodegradable MPs > MWCNT > GO ~SWCNT > graphene ~AC indicating that total surface area normalization decreased the differences in adsorption capacities of phenanthrene onto carbonaceous adsorbents.

Keywords

Microplastics, Nanoplastics, Carbon Nanomaterials

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