Journal
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 682, Issue -, Pages 663-672Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.206
Keywords
Natural nanomaterial; Particle extraction; Heteroaggregate disaggregation; Sodium pyrophosphate; Sodium oxalate
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Funding
- NSF CAREER award [1553909]
- Swiss National Science Foundation [P2GEP2_165046]
- China Scholarship Council [CSC_201606380069]
- Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth)
- NSF [ECCS 1542100]
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [P2GEP2_165046] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
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Characterization and understanding of natural nanomaterials (NNMs) properties is essential to differentiate engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) from NNMs. However, NNMs in environmental samples typically occur as heteroaggregates with other particles, e.g., NNMs, ENMs, and larger particles. Therefore, there is a need to isolate NNMs into their primary particles to better characterize their physicochemical properties. Here, we evaluated the efficiency of sodium hydroxide, sodium oxalate, and sodium pyrophosphate to extract NNMs from surface waters. The extracted NNMs were characterized for total metal concentration by inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICP-MS) following full digestion; size distribution, elemental composition and ratios by flow-field flow fractionation (AF4)-ICP-MS: and morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Sodium pyrophosphate extraction resulted in the highest NNM concentration and the smallest NNM size distribution. Sodium hydroxide and sodium oxalate extraction generated heteroaggregates with a broad size distribution. The NNM extraction efficiency increased with extractant (sodium oxalate and sodium pyrophosphate) concentration. The concentration of metals in the sodium pyrophosphate-extracted NNMs compared to the total metal concentration was element-dependent and varied from as high as >80% for Cu, Zn, and Sr to as low as <5% for Al, Ti, and Nb. This study provides a simple protocol for NNM extraction from complex environmental samples and provides a better understanding of NNM physicochemical properties. The presented NNM extraction protocol forms the basis for ENM extraction from natural waters. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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