Abstract
The removal of nanoplastics (NP) from water using various treatment processes has gained significant attention recently. This study comprehensively characterizes the degradation of polystyrene nanoparticles (concentration: 200ppm, diameter: 140nm) through UVC irradiation. For the first time, we compared four analytical methods to monitor removal efficiency: Py-GCMS, UV-Visible spectroscopy, TOC, and Turbidity. Additionally, DLS, TEM, and SEC were used to understand changes in particle size, morphology, and molecular weight. Results showed that Py-GCMS overestimated the removal rate by a factor of 2 compared to Turbidity and UV-Visible measurements, which were in agreement. Furthermore, after 200h of irradiation, the styrene signal disappears from the pyrogram, although the mineralization rate reaches only 50%, as determined by total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. The particle size decreased slowly, reaching 100nm after 150h, while a significant decrease in molecular weight indicated high chain-scission. These findings emphasize the importance of a multi-analytical approach to accurately assess NP removal efficiency and understand degradation mechanisms.
Published Version
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