Stability of nanodiamonds and carbon dots in aqueous environments: insights into aggregation behavior and additive influence

Fiket, Željka; Dutour Sikirić, Maja; Gal, Darija; Petrović, Marija; Strasser, Vida; Kovač, Veronika; Frka, Sanja; Vdović, Neda; Saikia, Binoy (2025) Stability of nanodiamonds and carbon dots in aqueous environments: insights into aggregation behavior and additive influence. Environmental Science: Nano, 12 (8). pp. 3904-3920. ISSN 2051-8153

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Abstract

This study investigated the stability of carbon-based nanoparticles, specifically carbon dots (CDs) and nanodiamonds (NDs), in model systems designed to mimic a natural water environment. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements were performed to evaluate particle size distribution, surface charge and their stability both as standalone nanoparticles and in the presence of additives such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS), fulvic acid (FA) and natural organic matter (NOM). The results showed significant differences in stability between CDs and NDs, with CDs showing a tendency to aggregate, while NDs exhibited higher stability under different conditions. The addition of BSA, FA and NOM significantly affected the zeta potential, although the ND suspensions remained stable under acidic conditions. Conversely, DSS had minimal effects on the zeta potential, resulting in the stabilization effect in Milli-Q water. In NaCl suspensions, addition of additives resulted in aggregation, with the exception of NOM, which improved the stability of NDs under alkaline conditions. These results improve our understanding of the environmental behaviour of carbon-based nanoparticles and highlight the role of environmental factors and additives in their stability. This knowledge is crucial not only for evaluating their behaviour and potential impact on the aquatic environment but also for developing novel technologies that exploit their unique properties for sustainable and innovative applications.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	bovine serum albumin; dextran sulfate sodium salt; fulvic acid; natural organic matter; DLS, zeta potential
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Chemistry > Physical Chemistry NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research Division of Physical Chemistry
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Transport, sudbina i toksičnost metal(oid)a otpuštenih iz ležišta industrijskog otpada-FORtIS Željka Fiket; Antonela Ninčević Grassino; Jelena Loborec; Sanja Kapelj; Matej Dolenec; Uroš Herlec; Gordana Medunić IP-2019-04-9354 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Željka Fiket
Date Deposited:	30 Jan 2026 08:46
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/11198
DOI:	10.1039/d5en00264h

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