title: Effects of engineered nano-titanium dioxide on pore surface properties and phosphorus adsorption of sediment: its environmental implications.
abstract: Understanding the environmental safety and human health implications of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is of worldwide importance. As an important ENPs, engineered nano-TiO(2) (Enano-TiO(2)) may have been substantially deposited in aquatic sediments because of its widely uses. Sediment pore surface properties would be thus significantly influenced due to the large surface area of Enano-TiO(2). In this study, Enano-TiO(2) was found to greatly impact on sediment pore surface properties. The attachment of Enano-TiO(2) particles to sediment surfaces enhanced markedly BET specific surface area and t-Plot external specific surface area, and thereby increased sediment phosphorus (P) adsorption maximum (S(max)). Contrarily, the fill of Enano-TiO(2) particles into the micropores of sediments could significantly reduce t-Plot micropore specific surface area, and cause slight decrease in sediment P binding energy (K). Clearly, P sorbed in sediment would be easily released because of the decreasing P binding energy of the sediment with elevated Enano-TiO(2). Enano-TiO(2) would thus cause aggravated endogenous pollution in water if such sediment was re-suspended on disturbance. The results obtained in this study contribute to our increasing knowledge of how to regulate physicochemical behavior of pollutants in sediments under the influences of Enano-TiO(2) and/or similar ENPs.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
authors.forename: Zhuanxi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zhenhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qunshan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Changzhou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002627:Chemistry, Physical / Q000379:methods; D004777:Environment; D017709:Fractals; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D010758:Phosphorus; D014025:Titanium; D009584:Nitrogen