Environmental processes and biotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles

Abstract

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have been used in increasing number of daily products and industry applications. As a result, ENPs will be eventually released into the environment. Toxicological research data raise serious concerns over the environmental and health risks of ENPs, which will be largely determined by their fate, mobility, bioavailability, and interactions with other contaminants. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) can and will interact with ENPs, altering their interfacial processes, aggregation, transport, bioavailability, and toxicity. Plant uptake and translocation of ENPs and their biological responses were examined. Colloidal and sorptive behavior of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and other ENPs in the presence of different types of DOM will be discussed. The toxicity of nanoparticles to bacteria, algae, and plants was also investigated in the absence or presence of DOM. Plant uptake and distribution of ENPs depend on their surface property such as surface charges; uptake of ENPs by crops may potentially affect the rhizosphere process and food safety.