Behavior of Ag nanoparticles in soil: Effects of particle surface coating, aging and sewage sludge amendment

This study addressed the relative importance of particle coating, sewage sludge amendment, and aging on aggregation and dissolution of manufactured Ag nanoparticles (Ag MNPs) in soil pore water. Ag MNPs with citrate (CIT) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coatings were incubated with soil or municipal sewage sludge which was then amended to soil (1% or 3% sludge (w/w)). Pore waters were extracted after 1 week and 2 and 6 months and analyzed for chemical speciation, aggregation state and dissolution. Ag MNP coating had profound effects on aggregation state and partitioning to pore water in the absence of sewage sludge, but pre-incubation with sewage sludge negated these effects. This suggests that Ag MNP coating does not need to be taken into account to understand fate of AgMNPs applied to soil through biosolids amendment. Aging of soil also had profound effects that depended on Ag MNP coating and sludge amendment. •Silver nanoparticle coating affects fate in unamended soils.•Citrated coated silver nanoparticles could be found in pore water for up to six months.•Pre-incubation of silver nanoparticles in sewage sludge negated effects of surface coating.•Weathered or reprecipitated particles found in pore water for up to two months in sludge amended soils.•Particle surface coating, sewage sludge amendment and aging all have important impacts. Behavior of manufactured silver nanoparticles in soil depends on surface coating, contact with sewage sludge, and aging.