Facilitated transport of nTiO₂-kaolin aggregates by bacteria and phosphate in water-saturated quartz sand.

ABSTRACT: The soil major component of clay plays an important role in governing the fate and transport of engineered nanomaterials (e.g., the most commonly used titanium dioxide nanoparticles; nTiO₂) in the subsurface environments via forming nTiO₂-clay aggregates. This research is designed to unravel the interplay of naturally-occurring bacteria (Escherichia coli) and phosphate on the transport and retention of nTiO₂-kaolin aggregates in water-saturated porous media. Our results showed that nTiO₂-nTiO₂ homoaggregates and nTiO₂-kaolin heteroaggregates dominated in the nTiO₂-kaolin nanoaggregate suspension. Transport of nTiO₂-kaolin aggregates was enhanced with the copresence of E. coli and phosphate, particularly

SUBMITTER: Xu N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7252603 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature