Molecular-level insights into the impact of different dissolved organic matter on the aggregation, dissolution and sedimentation of Zn-doped CdTe quantum dots.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Molecular-level insights into the impact of different dissolved organic matter on the aggregation, dissolution and sedimentation of Zn-doped CdTe quantum dots.
Authors: Wang, Jing1 (AUTHOR), Li, Jiaxuan1 (AUTHOR), Peng, Xinyi2 (AUTHOR), Mu, Wenbin2 (AUTHOR), Guo, Shuyang1 (AUTHOR), Yang, Songrui1 (AUTHOR), Yu, Xinping1 (AUTHOR), Zhao, Lining2 (AUTHOR) liningzhao@hbu.edu.cn
Source: Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts. Jun2026, Vol. 28 Issue 6, p1746-1755. 10p.
Subject Terms: *Dissolved organic matter, *Fresh water, *Flocculation, *Sedimentation analysis, Quantum dots, Dissolution (Chemistry), Hydrophobic interactions, Colloidal stability
Abstract: This study investigated the aggregation, dissolution, and sedimentation of Zn-doped CdTe quantum dots (CdTe: Zn2+ QDs) incubated with or without three different dissolved organic matter (DOM) species in artificial freshwater and seawater as well as the underlying mechanisms. Results revealed that water composition and the type of DOM species significantly affected the above behaviors. Compared with those in freshwater, bare QDs and QDs–DOM in seawater formed larger aggregates, released higher Cd2+ contents and sedimented faster. Under most circumstances, DOM inhibited QDs aggregation through enhanced electrosteric stabilization. Meanwhile, it accelerated QDs dissolution via promoting particle contact. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) formed the largest, medium and smallest aggregates with QDs in freshwater, respectively, which agreed well with the molecular weight of DOM and the stoichiometry of QDs–DOM interactions. QDs–FA released the largest content of Cd2+ in freshwater since FA has the strongest capacity for complexing with QDs. In both artificial waters, HA and FA adsorption accelerated the sedimentation of QDs, while BSA impeded the sedimentation process. Isothermal titration calorimetric experiments revealed that the major driving forces of all QDs–DOM interactions are hydrophobic forces. The binding stoichiometries of QDs–HA, QDs–FA and QDs–BSA are 6.3, 4.7 and 9.4, respectively. Results from multi-spectroscopic experiments suggested that the nano-form of QDs mainly interacted with the aromatic skeletons in HA rather than with Cd2+. This study could shed light on predicting the fate and assessing the risk of QDs in aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts is the property of Royal Society of Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: GreenFILE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: 8gh
DbLabel: GreenFILE
An: 194778418
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Molecular-level insights into the impact of different dissolved organic matter on the aggregation, dissolution and sedimentation of Zn-doped CdTe quantum dots.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Jing%22">Wang, Jing</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Jiaxuan%22">Li, Jiaxuan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peng%2C+Xinyi%22">Peng, Xinyi</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mu%2C+Wenbin%22">Mu, Wenbin</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guo%2C+Shuyang%22">Guo, Shuyang</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yang%2C+Songrui%22">Yang, Songrui</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yu%2C+Xinping%22">Yu, Xinping</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhao%2C+Lining%22">Zhao, Lining</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> liningzhao@hbu.edu.cn</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Science%3A+Processes+%26+Impacts%22">Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 28 Issue 6, p1746-1755. 10p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dissolved+organic+matter%22">Dissolved organic matter</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fresh+water%22">Fresh water</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Flocculation%22">Flocculation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sedimentation+analysis%22">Sedimentation analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quantum+dots%22">Quantum dots</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dissolution+%28Chemistry%29%22">Dissolution (Chemistry)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hydrophobic+interactions%22">Hydrophobic interactions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Colloidal+stability%22">Colloidal stability</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study investigated the aggregation, dissolution, and sedimentation of Zn-doped CdTe quantum dots (CdTe: Zn2+ QDs) incubated with or without three different dissolved organic matter (DOM) species in artificial freshwater and seawater as well as the underlying mechanisms. Results revealed that water composition and the type of DOM species significantly affected the above behaviors. Compared with those in freshwater, bare QDs and QDs–DOM in seawater formed larger aggregates, released higher Cd2+ contents and sedimented faster. Under most circumstances, DOM inhibited QDs aggregation through enhanced electrosteric stabilization. Meanwhile, it accelerated QDs dissolution via promoting particle contact. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) formed the largest, medium and smallest aggregates with QDs in freshwater, respectively, which agreed well with the molecular weight of DOM and the stoichiometry of QDs–DOM interactions. QDs–FA released the largest content of Cd2+ in freshwater since FA has the strongest capacity for complexing with QDs. In both artificial waters, HA and FA adsorption accelerated the sedimentation of QDs, while BSA impeded the sedimentation process. Isothermal titration calorimetric experiments revealed that the major driving forces of all QDs–DOM interactions are hydrophobic forces. The binding stoichiometries of QDs–HA, QDs–FA and QDs–BSA are 6.3, 4.7 and 9.4, respectively. Results from multi-spectroscopic experiments suggested that the nano-form of QDs mainly interacted with the aromatic skeletons in HA rather than with Cd2+. This study could shed light on predicting the fate and assessing the risk of QDs in aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts is the property of Royal Society of Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=194778418
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1039/d6em00010j
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 10
        StartPage: 1746
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Dissolved organic matter
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fresh water
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Flocculation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sedimentation analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Quantum dots
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dissolution (Chemistry)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hydrophobic interactions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Colloidal stability
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Molecular-level insights into the impact of different dissolved organic matter on the aggregation, dissolution and sedimentation of Zn-doped CdTe quantum dots.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wang, Jing
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li, Jiaxuan
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Peng, Xinyi
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mu, Wenbin
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Guo, Shuyang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yang, Songrui
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Yu, Xinping
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhao, Lining
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 20507887
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 28
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
              Type: main
ResultId 1