Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2025

Forming Micro-and Nano-Plastics from Agricultural Plastic Films for Employment in Fundamental Research Studies
Published on: July 27, 2022
Comparative effects of crystalline, poorly crystalline and freshly formed iron oxides on the colloidal properties of
Trang T T Vu1, Phat H Nguyen1, Trinh V Pham1
1Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
Abstract:
Colloid-sized microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and can share the same transport route together with various crystalline, poorly crystalline and freshly formed iron oxides. However, the colloidal interactions between these colloid constituents are not fully understood. This study was designed to investigate the colloidal properties of polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) under the influence of haematite, goethite, ferrihydrite and freshly formed Fe oxide (FFFO). Dynamic light scattering was coupled with a test tube method to observe changes in the surface charge and colloidal dynamics of suspensions of PSMPs and Fe oxides. The overall effects on the aggregation of PSMPs are found to decrease in the following order: FFFO > ferrihydrite > goethite > haematite. The effects of these Fe oxides are found to strongly depend on pH. While the crystalline oxides play a dominant role in the acidic environment, poorly crystalline oxides show greater effects on PSMP aggregation in an alkaline environment. Heteroaggregation due to decreasing electrostatic interactions is the major mechanism that governs the colloidal dynamics of PSMPs and Fe oxides. It can be inferred that the copresence of Fe oxides and MPs can delay the transport of MPs or even change the destination for MPs.
More Related Videos
07:01Preparation of Hollow Polystyrene Particles and Microcapsules by Radical Polymerization of Janus Droplets Consisting of Hydrocarbon and Fluorocarbon Oils
Published on: January 25, 2018
07:47Experimental Protocol to Investigate Particle Aerosolization of a Product Under Abrasion and Under Environmental Weathering
Published on: September 16, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Colloidal precipitates
Polymer Classification: Crystallinity
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...
Colloids
Precipitate Formation and Particle Size Control
The obtained precipitate should be either a pure substance of known composition or easily converted to one by a simple process, such as ignition or drying. In addition, the precipitate should be insoluble and easily filterable. In general, filterability...
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Polymorphism, Amorphism and Pseudopolymorphism
Some polymorphic crystals possess lower aqueous solubility than their amorphous counterparts, leading to incomplete absorption. For instance, the oral suspension of Chloramphenicol, which...
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area