Jump to main content
US EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Search
Search
Main menu
Environmental Topics
Laws & Regulations
About EPA
Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)
Contact Us
Print
Feedback
Export to File
Search:
This record has one attached file:
Add More Files
Attach File(s):
Display Name for File*:
Save
Citation
Tags
HERO ID
157519
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Exposure modeling of engineered nanoparticles in the environment
Author(s)
Mueller, NC; Nowack, B
Year
2008
Is Peer Reviewed?
1
Journal
Environmental Science & Technology
ISSN:
0013-936X
EISSN:
1520-5851
Volume
42
Issue
12
Page Numbers
4447-4453
Language
English
PMID
18605569
DOI
10.1021/es7029637
Web of Science Id
WOS:000256705600036
Abstract
The aim of this study was to use a life-cycle perspective to model the quantities of engineered nanoparticles released into the environment. Three types of nanoparticles were studied: nano silver (nano-Ag), nano TiO2 (nano-TiO2), and carbon nanotubes (CNT). The quantification was based on a substance flow analysis from products to air, soil, and water in Switzerland. The following parameters were used as model inputs: estimated worldwide production volume, allocation of the production volume to product categories, particle release from products, and flow coefficients within the environmental compartments. The predicted environmental concentrations (PEC) were then compared to the predicted no effect concentrations (PNEC) derived from the literature to estimate a possible risk. The expected concentrations of the three nanoparticles in the different environmental compartments vary widely, caused by the different life cycles of the nanoparticle-containing products. The PEC values for nano-TiO2 in water are 0.7 16 µg/L and close to or higher than the PNEC value for nano-TiO2 (<1 µg/L). The risk quotients (PEC/PNEC) for CNT and nano-Ag were much smaller than one, therefore comprising no reason to expect adverse effects from those particles. The results of this study make it possible for the first time to carry out a quantitative risk assessment of nanoparticles in the environment and suggest further detailed studies of nano-TiO2.
Tags
•
Nanoscale Carbon
All References Cited
External Review Draft
Transport and Fate
Exposure Uptake Dose
Peer Reviewed Draft
Transport & Fate
Priority Area: Ch. 3 and Appendix D
Lower Priority Areas: Appendices G and H
Exposure, Uptake, and Dose
Priority Area: Ch. 4 and Appendix E
Impacts
Priority Area: Ch. 5 and Appendix F
Final Case Study
Product Life Cycle
Lower Priority Areas: Appendices G and H
Transport & Fate
Priority Area: Ch. 3 and Appendix D
Lower Priority Areas: Appendices G and H
Exposure, Uptake, and Dose
Lower Priority Areas: Appendices G and H
Impacts
Priority Area: Ch. 5 and Appendix F
Lower Priority Areas: Appendices G and H
•
Nanoscale Silver
External Review Draft
Final Case Study
Life-Cycle Stages
Transport, Transformation and Fate
Exposure, Uptake and Dose
Effects
Home
Learn about HERO
Using HERO
Search HERO
Projects in HERO
Risk Assessment
Transparency & Integrity