Stabilizing interaction of exopolymers with nano-Se and impact on mercury immobilization in soil and groundwater

Xiaonan Wang, Wenjuan Song, Haifeng Qian, Daoyong Zhang, Xiangliang Pan, Geoffrey Michael Gadd

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)
304 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Remediation of metal-contaminated soils and waters using nanoparticles is highly limited by their strong tendency to aggregate in soil solution and natural water. In order to enhance the remediation of Hg0-contaminated soil solution and groundwater by Se nanoparticles (SeNPs), the effects of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on the stability of SeNPs and Hg0 removal were investigated. EPS from the selenite-reducing bacterium Citrobacter freundii Y9 were found to make SeNPs more negatively charged by strong adsorption, which significantly enhanced the stability of SeNPs. The protein, carboxylate, polysaccharide and lipid components of the EPS were involved in the adsorption to SeNPs. Fluorescence quenching titration measurements implied that the binding of proteinaceous substances in the EPS to SeNPs was static quenching. EPS can therefore enhance the remediation efficiency of SeNPs for soil solution and groundwater contaminated with Hg0. This study highlights that bacterial EPS can be used as an effective natural dispersant for SeNPs, therefore improving the efficiency of mercury immobilization in contaminated waters.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)456-466
Number of pages11
JournalEnvironmental Science: Nano
Volume5
Issue number2
Early online date12 Dec 2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2018

Keywords

  • Aggregation
  • dispersant
  • EPS
  • fluorescence quenching titration
  • remediation
  • mercury
  • selenium

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Science (miscellaneous)
  • General Environmental Science

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