TY - JOUR
T1 - Transformation of four silver/silver chloride nanoparticles during anaerobic treatment of wastewater and post-processing of sewage sludge
AU - Lombi, Enzo
AU - Donner, Erica
AU - Taheri, Shima
AU - Tavakkoli, Ehsan
AU - Jämting, Åsa K.
AU - McClure, Stuart
AU - Naidu, Ravi
AU - Miller, Bradley W.
AU - Scheckel, Kirk G.
AU - Vasilev, Krasimir
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - The increasing use of silver (Ag) nanoparticles [containing either elemental Ag (Ag-NPs) or AgCl (AgCl-NPs)] in commercial products such as textiles will most likely result in these materials reaching wastewater treatment plants. Previous studies indicate that a conversion of Ag-NPs to Ag2S is to be expected during wastewater transport/treatment. However, the influence of surface functionality, the nature of the core structure and the effect of post-processing on Ag speciation in sewage sludge/biosolids has not been investigated. This study aims at closing these knowledge gaps using bench scale anaerobic digesters spiked with Ag nitrate, three different types of Ag-NPs, and AgCl-NPs at environmentally realistic concentrations. The results indicate that neither surface functionality nor the different compositions of the NP prevented the formation of Ag2S. Silver sulfides, unlike the sulfides of other metals present in sewage sludge, were stable over a six month period simulating composting/stockpiling.
AB - The increasing use of silver (Ag) nanoparticles [containing either elemental Ag (Ag-NPs) or AgCl (AgCl-NPs)] in commercial products such as textiles will most likely result in these materials reaching wastewater treatment plants. Previous studies indicate that a conversion of Ag-NPs to Ag2S is to be expected during wastewater transport/treatment. However, the influence of surface functionality, the nature of the core structure and the effect of post-processing on Ag speciation in sewage sludge/biosolids has not been investigated. This study aims at closing these knowledge gaps using bench scale anaerobic digesters spiked with Ag nitrate, three different types of Ag-NPs, and AgCl-NPs at environmentally realistic concentrations. The results indicate that neither surface functionality nor the different compositions of the NP prevented the formation of Ag2S. Silver sulfides, unlike the sulfides of other metals present in sewage sludge, were stable over a six month period simulating composting/stockpiling.
KW - Sewage sludge
KW - Silver nanoparticles
KW - Speciation
KW - Waste water treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874631344&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.01.029
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.01.029
M3 - Article
C2 - 23434771
AN - SCOPUS:84874631344
VL - 176
SP - 193
EP - 197
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
SN - 0269-7491
ER -