Advancing the Understanding of Environmental Transformations, Bioavailability and Effects of Nanomaterials, an International US Environmental Protection Agency-UK Environmental Nanoscience Initiative Joint Program

Abstract

Nanotechnology has significant economic, health, and environmental benefits, including renewable energy and innovative environmental solutions. Manufactured nanoparticles have been incorporated into new materials and products because of their novel or enhanced properties. These very same properties also have prompted concerns about the potential environmental and human health hazard and risk posed by the manufactured nanomaterials. Appropriate risk management responses require the development of models capable of predicting the environmental and human health effects of the nanomaterials. Development of predictive models has been hampered by a lack of information concerning the environmental fate, behavior and effects of manufactured nanoparticles. The United Kingdom (UK) Environmental Nanoscience Initiative and the United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency have developed an international research program to enhance the knowledgebase and develop risk-predicting models for manufactured nanoparticles. Here we report selected highlights of the program as it sought to maximize the complementary strengths of the transatlantic scientific communities by funding three integrated US-UK consortia to investigate the transformation of these nanoparticles in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric environment. Research results demonstrate there is a functional relationship between the physicochemical properties of environmentally transformed nanomaterials and their effects and that this relationship is amenable to modeling. In addition, the joint transatlantic program has allowed the leveraging of additional funding, promoting transboundary scientific collaboration.

Keywords: Aquatic Environment; Consumer Products; Manufactured Nanomaterials; Predictive Models; Terrestrial Ecosystem.

Figure 1

Similar transformation of disolved, bulk or nanosized metals (ZnO and Ag) in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that disolved, bulk or nanosized ZnO and Ag particles are transformed to sulfide and phosphate minerals. Zn was also bound to iron oxohydroxides. Reprinted with permission from Ma et al., 2014. Copyright 2014, American Chemical Society.

Figure 2

Modelled ambient concentration of diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) assuming the use of diesel fuel with (a) no Envirox^™ and (b) with 0.5 mL Envirox^™ added per liter of fuel. The results are based on USEPA’s 2011 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) data and the DEPs emission data published in Zhang et al., 2013.