Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Discovery of Environmental Nanoparticles in a Mineral Water Spring: A New Form of Elements in Mineral Water

Rui Liu
ORCID logo ,
Zhiqiang Zhao
,
Minghui Lv
,
Hongwei Wang
,
Lixia Li
,
Shenting Gang
,
Lei Zuo
,
Peng Zhang
,
Yaqin Wang
,
Changsuo Li
* ,
Qianqian Lu
*
Version 1 : Received: 29 August 2023 / Approved: 30 August 2023 / Online: 4 September 2023 (15:24:27 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Liu, R.; Zhao, Z.; Lv, M.; Wang, H.; Li, L.; Gang, S.; Zuo, L.; Zhang, P.; Wang, Y.; Li, C.; Lu, Q. Discovery of Environmental Nanoparticles in a Mineral Water Spring from Yiyuan County, Shandong Province, Eastern China: A New Form of Elements in Mineral Water. Water 2023, 15, 3497. Liu, R.; Zhao, Z.; Lv, M.; Wang, H.; Li, L.; Gang, S.; Zuo, L.; Zhang, P.; Wang, Y.; Li, C.; Lu, Q. Discovery of Environmental Nanoparticles in a Mineral Water Spring from Yiyuan County, Shandong Province, Eastern China: A New Form of Elements in Mineral Water. Water 2023, 15, 3497.

Abstract

Environmental nanoparticles have been shown to exist in most aquatic environments, and environmental nanoparticles in water distribution systems significantly affect water quality. However, little research has been conducted on the environmental nanoparticles in mineral water, which is a special water resource. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were conducted. This study was the first to identify many environmental nanoparticles in natural mineral water in Zibo City, Shandong Province, China. The results of the NTA showed that the concentration of the particles was 5.5 ×106 particles/mL and the peak diameter of the size distribution was 180 nm. The HRTEM showed that the nanoparticles were granular, pinniform, rodlike, and flakey in shape, and some of the nanoparticles existed in aggregation. The energy-dispersive spectrometry results showed that most of the nanoparticles contained O, Mg, Ca, Si, Fe, Ti, and P, and some of them also contained F, V, S, and Mn. When combined with the characteristics of the selected area electron diffraction pattern, the nanoparticles were confirmed to be Ca-bearing nanoparticles, attapulgite nanorods, MnO2 nanosheets, and TiO2 nanoparticles. These results indicate a new form of elements occurring in mineral water. In addition, based on the chemical and physical characteristics of the nanoparticles and mineral water, these environmental nanoparticles in the mineral water are likely to be the weathering byproducts of minerals. These nanoparticles within mineral water provide a good opportunity for understanding the behavior of nanoparticles in varied systems. Moreover, environmental nanoparticle science is important for continuing efforts in water safety, treatment, and remediation.

Keywords

water quality; nanoparticle tracking analysis; high-resolution transmission electron microscopy; weathering byproducts; water safety

Subject

Environmental and Earth Sciences, Water Science and Technology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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