Nano-size plastics inhibited Cr(VI) species transformation during facilitated transport of green synthesized nano-iron in the presence of oxyanions

Remediating hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI))-contaminated soils using green synthesized nano-iron (g-nZVI), which merits high reactivity, low cost, and environmental friendliness, has attracted significant attention. However, the broad existence of nano plastics (NPs) could adsorb Cr(VI) and subsequently influence in situ remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil by g-nZVI. To clarify this issue and improve the remediation efficiency, we investigated the co-transport between Cr(VI) and g-nZVI coexisting with sulfonyl-amino-modified nano plastics (SANPs) in water-saturated sand media in the presence of oxyanions (i.e., phosphate and sulfate) at environmentally relevant conditions. This study found that SANPs inhibited the Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) (i.e., Cr 2 O 3 ) by g-nZVI, attributed to nZVI-SANPs hetero-aggregates and Cr(VI) adsorption on SANPs. Notably, “nZVI-[SANPs•••Cr(III)]” agglomerate happened via complexation of [–NH 3 •••Cr(III)] between Cr(III) from Cr(VI) reduced by g-nZVI and amino group on SANPs. Further, the co-presence of phosphate (stronger adsorption on SANPs than g-nZVI) remarkably suppressed Cr(VI) reduction. Then, it promoted the co-transport of Cr(VI) with nZVI-SANPs hetero-aggregates, which could potentially threaten underground water. Fundamentally, sulfate would instead concentrate on SANPs, hardly impacting the reactions between Cr(VI) and g-nZVI. Overall, our findings provide crucial insights into understanding the Cr(VI) species transformation during co-transport with g-nZVI in ubiquitous complexed soil environments (i.e., containing oxyanions) contaminated by SANPs.