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Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Dispersion of Nanomaterials in Aqueous Media: Towards Protocol Optimization
Published on: December 25, 2017
Effect of Nanoplastic Type and Surface Chemistry on Particle Agglomeration over a Salinity Gradient
Hannah J Shupe1, Kylie M Boenisch1, Bryan J Harper2
1School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
Abstract:
Agglomeration of nanoplastics in waters can alter their transport and fate in the environment. Agglomeration behavior of 4 nanoplastics differing in core composition (red- or blue-dyed polystyrene) and surface chemistry (plain or carboxylated poly[methyl methacrylate] [PMMA]) was investigated across a salinity gradient. No agglomeration was observed for carboxylated PMMA at any salinity, whereas the plain PMMA agglomerated at only 1 g/L. Both the red and the blue polystyrene agglomerated at 25 g/L. Results indicate that both composition and surface chemistry can impact how environmental salinity affects plastic nanoparticle agglomeration. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1822-1828. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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