Mobility of capped silver nanoparticles under environmentally relevant conditions

The mobility and deposition of capped silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) on silica surfaces were characterized over a wide range of pH and ionic strength (IS) conditions, including seawater and freshwater. Two common organic capping agents (citrate and PVP) were evaluated. Both the capped Ag NPs and the silica surfaces were negatively charged under these environmentally relevant conditions, resulting in net repulsive electrostatics under most conditions. The steric repulsion introduced by the capping agents significantly reduced aggregation and deposition. In addition, the presence of natural organic matter in solution further decreased the deposition of either Ag NP on silica. Ag NPs were found to be highly mobile under these environmentally relevant conditions, with little or no deposition.