Assessing the Risk of Engineered Nanomaterials in the Environment: Development and Application of the nanoFate Model

We developed a dynamic multimedia fate and transport model (nanoFate) to predict the time-dependent accumulation of metallic engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) across environmental media. nanoFate considers a wider range of processes and environmental subcompartments than most previous models and consi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2017-05, Vol.51 (10), p.5541-5551
Main Authors: Garner, Kendra L, Suh, Sangwon, Keller, Arturo A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural land
Agriculture
Biosolids
Climatology
Compartments
Composition effects
Computer simulation
Ecological risk assessment
Environment
Fresh Water
Geologic Sediments
Marine sediments
Metal Nanoparticles - toxicity
Multimedia
Nanomaterials
Nanoparticles
Nanostructures - toxicity
Nanotechnology
Risk
Risk factors
San Francisco
Seawater
Sediments
Soil
Soils
Temporal variations
Urban agriculture
Zinc oxide
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Summary:We developed a dynamic multimedia fate and transport model (nanoFate) to predict the time-dependent accumulation of metallic engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) across environmental media. nanoFate considers a wider range of processes and environmental subcompartments than most previous models and considers ENM releases to compartments (e.g., urban, agriculture) in a manner that reflects their different patterns of use and disposal. As an example, we simulated ten years of release of nano CeO2, CuO, TiO2, and ZnO in the San Francisco Bay area. Results show that even soluble metal oxide ENMs may accumulate as nanoparticles in the environment in sufficient concentrations to exceed the minimum toxic threshold in freshwater and some soils, though this is more likely with high-production ENMs such as TiO2 and ZnO. Fluctuations in weather and release scenario may lead to circumstances where predicted ENM concentrations approach acute toxic concentrations. The fate of these ENMs is to mostly remain either aggregated or dissolved in agricultural lands receiving biosolids and in freshwater or marine sediments. Comparison to previous studies indicates the importance of some key model aspects including climatic and temporal variations, how ENMs may be released into the environment, and the effect of compartment composition on predicted concentrations.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/acs.est.6b05279