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Substrate- and plant-mediated removal of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles in constructed wetlands

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Abstract

The growing production and commercial application of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), such as Ag, CeO2, and TiO2 nanoparticles, induce a risk to the environment as ENPs are released during their use. The comprehensive assessment of the environmental risk that the ENPs pose involves understanding their fate and behavior in wastewater treatment systems. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the effect of plants and different substrates on the retention and distribution of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in batch experimental setups simulating constructed wetlands (CWs). Sand, zeolite, and biofilm-coated gravel induce efficient removal (85, 55, and 67 %, respectively) of Ag from the water phase indicating that citrate-coated Ag-NPs are efficiently retained in CWs. Plants are a minor factor in retaining Ag as a large fraction of the recovered Ag remains in the water phase (0.42–0.58). Most Ag associated with the plant tissues is attached to or taken up by the roots, and only negligible amounts (maximum 3 %) of Ag are translocated to the leaves under the applied experimental conditions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Quenten Denon for the help with the PCS analysis and Roseline Blanckaert and Joachim Neri for the assistance with the silver analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Hannele Auvinen, Viviana Vásquez Sepúlveda & Gijs Du Laing

  2. Laboratory of Industrial Water and Ecotechnology, Ghent University Campus Kortrijk, Graaf Karel de Goedelaan 5, 8500, Kortrijk, Belgium

    Hannele Auvinen & Diederik P. L. Rousseau

Authors
  1. Hannele Auvinen
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  2. Viviana Vásquez Sepúlveda
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  3. Diederik P. L. Rousseau
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  4. Gijs Du Laing
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Correspondence to Hannele Auvinen.

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Responsible editor: Santiago V. Luis

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Auvinen, H., Sepúlveda, V.V., Rousseau, D.P.L. et al. Substrate- and plant-mediated removal of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles in constructed wetlands. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 21920–21926 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7459-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7459-6

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