Repulsive Interactions of Eco-corona-Covered Microplastic Particles Quantitatively Follow Modeling of Polymer Brushes

Witzmann T, Ramsperger AFRM, Wieland S, Laforsch C, Kress H, Fery A, Auernhammer GK (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Langmuir American Chemical Society

Book Volume: 38

Pages Range: 8748-8756

Journal Issue: 29

DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03204

Abstract

The environmental fate and toxicity of microplastic particles are dominated by their surface properties. In the environment, an adsorbed layer of biomolecules and natural organic matter forms the so-called eco-corona. A quantitative description of how this eco-corona changes the particles' colloidal interactions is still missing. Here, we demonstrate with colloidal probe-atomic force microscopy that eco-corona formation on microplastic particles introduces a compressible film on the surface, which changes the mechanical behavior. We measure single particle-particle interactions and find a pronounced increase of long-range repulsive interactions upon eco-corona formation. These force-separation characteristics follow the Alexander-de Gennes (AdG) polymer brush model under certain conditions. We further compare the obtained fitting parameters to known systems like polyelectrolyte multilayers and propose these as model systems for the eco-corona. Our results show that concepts of fundamental polymer physics, like the AdG model, also help in understanding more complex systems like biomolecules adsorbed to surfaces, i.e., the eco-corona.

Involved external institutions

Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V. DE Germany (DE) Universität Bayreuth DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Witzmann, T., Ramsperger, A.F.R.M., Wieland, S., Laforsch, C., Kress, H., Fery, A., & Auernhammer, G.K. (2022). Repulsive Interactions of Eco-corona-Covered Microplastic Particles Quantitatively Follow Modeling of Polymer Brushes. Langmuir, 38(29), 8748-8756. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03204

MLA:

Witzmann, Thomas, et al. "Repulsive Interactions of Eco-corona-Covered Microplastic Particles Quantitatively Follow Modeling of Polymer Brushes." Langmuir 38.29 (2022): 8748-8756.

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