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Authors
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Witzmann, T. ; Ramsperger, A.F.R.M. ; Wieland, S. ; Laforsch, C. ; Kress, H. ; Fery, A. ; Auernhammer, G.
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Title
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Repulsive interactions of eco-corona covered microplastic particles quantitatively follow modelling of polymer brushes
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Date
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26.07.2022
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Number
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59837
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Abstract
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Environmental fate and toxicity of microplastic particles is 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 the formation of the eco-corona on microplastic particles introduces a soft film on the surface which changes the mechanical behaviour. We measure single particle-particle interactions and find a pronounced increase of long-range repulsive interactions upon eco-corona formation. These force-distance characteristics follow well the polymer brush model by Alexander and de Gennes. We further compare the obtained fitting parameters to known systems like polyelectrolyte multilayers and propose these as a model system for the eco-corona. The foundation of the eco-corona interacting like a polymer brush with its surrounding may help understand microplastic transport and aggregation in the environment.
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Publisher
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Langmuir
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Wikidata
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Citation
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Langmuir 38 (2022) 8748-8756
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DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03204
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Tags
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