TİO2 nanopartiküllerinin doğal organik maddeler varlığında aggregasyon/agglomerasyonu

Production of nanoparticles has increased extremely in the last decade due to their extended industrial usage. Especially metal oxides, such as TiO2 awakens big interest on both scientific and industrial areas. However, there is very few information that explains the fate of these nanoparticles following their introduction to water bodies under solar irradiation. The main purpose of this study was to elucidate the aggregation and agglomeration behavior of TiO2 NPs in sunlit water bodies in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). Humic acid (HA) has been used as NOM analogue due to its polydispersed chemistry and water solubility. Specific physico-chemical methods were applied to elucidate the interactions between the components of colloidal matter. Aggregation/agglomeration behavior of the NPs as well as organic matter were followed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique and sedimentation profiles. All samples were subjected to particle size analyses under both dark and solar light simulator conditions for comparative purposes and prepared samples were defined as mono and binary systems. Mono systems were composed of sole TiO2, metal doped TiO2 (Fe-doped TiO2), non-metal doped TiO2 (N-doped TiO2), sole HA and pretreated HA under solar irradiation. The binary system consisted of the combination of TiO2 and HA derivatives. All colloidal particles were discussed with respect to their morphological and physicochemical properties. Consequently, aggregation and agglomeration behavior of metal oxide NPs in aquatic media were perceived, interactions between NOM with NPs were explained thereby prediction of the potential effects of metal oxide NPs in aqueous systems could be possible