1Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, 2519 Jiefang Road, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P. R. China

2Songliao Institute of Water Environmental Science, Ministry of Water Resources, 11-16 Fujin Road, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P. R. China

3State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, P. R. China

4College of Environment and Resources, Fuzhou University, 2 Xueyuan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350116, P. R. China

5Jiangsu Longchang Chemical Co., Ltd., 1 Qianjiang Road, Rugao, Jiangsu 226532, P. R. China

摘要：Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are an emerging environmental concern, considering their proven toxicity and wide commercial application nowadays. Once entering natural water bodies, they might become a challenge to conventional water treatment techniques. In this pioneering study, coagulation was found to achieve 86% of concentration removal and 74% of turbidity removal of TiO2 NPs in natural lake water, when the initial concentration was 1 mg L−1 and the corresponding turbidity was 2.3 NTU. Furthermore, the zeta potential seemed not to be the only decisive factor in the coagulation effect. Further studies on the clarification of the mechanisms involved are hence recommended.TiO2 nanoparticles in natural water bodies are an emerging environmental concern. In this pioneering study, coagulation, as one of the conventional water treatment techniques, was found to achieve satisfactory removal of TiO2 nanoparticles. Besides, the zeta potential seemed not to be the only decisive factor in the coagulation effect, and further studies on the relevant mechanisms are hence recommended.