Transport of alumina nanoparticles in natural waters and water saturated porous media-an analysis of the effect of various environmental parameters

To control the use and disposal of products containing nanoparticles and lessen the risks they pose to soil and aquatic ecosystems, it is essential to understand the fate and transport of Al2O3 NPs. The stability, settling, retention, and transport of Al2O3 NPs in aqueous environments and saturated sand media were investigated in the current work to determine how solution chemistry and water chemistry influenced these processes. There was a notable rise and variety in settling of nanoparticles in different water stream and simulated aqueous solutions under static aqueous circumstances. The impact of solution chemistry in the transport of the nanoparticles was also examined in a column filled with quartz sand and various combinations of ionic strength (10 to 100 mM of NaCl), pH (3 to 7), natural organic matter (0.1 to 10 ppm of Humic acid), and natural water systems. The results demonstrate that the environmental conditions may significantly affect the transport and retention of nanoparticles, with humic acid exhibiting enhanced movement and natural clay, Kaolinite, increasing retention. Additionally, with natural waters the transport profiles were altered. The combination of DLVO and Clean bed filtration theory provided further assistance in the prediction of the aggregation and transport of the Al2O3 NPs.