Aggregation kinetics of natural soil nanoparticles in different electrolytes

Summary In the space of just a few years, nanotechnology has become a topical subject not only in academia, but also in the daily lives of people. In order to investigate the properties of natural nanoparticles ( NNPs ) and to obtain a better understanding of their environmental behaviour and impacts from a new perspective, transmission electron microscope ( TEM ), zeta potential analysis and time‐resolved dynamic light scattering ( DLS ) analysis were used to examine the main properties and aggregation kinetics of NNPs extracted from C hinese soils added to various concentrations of the electrolytes NaCl , CaCl 2 and LaCl 3 . The NNPs that were less than 100 nm remained stable for 100 days. The classic D erjaguin‐ L andau‐ V erwey‐ O verbeek ( DLVO ) model partially revealed the aggregation behaviour of NNPs , in which ionic strength, composition and size may play important roles. The influence of hematite and natural organic matter ( NOM ) was demonstrated by aggregation kinetics and critical coagulation concentrations ( CCC ). The size of NNPs could also change the maximum total potential energy of interactions in the systems ( V T (h)). These factors make the aggregation of NNPs in electrolytes different from that of soil colloids and influence the environmental behaviour of NNPs .