Grantee Research Project Results
2013 Progress Report: Transatlantic Initiative for Nanotechnology and the Environment
EPA Grant Number: R834574Title: Transatlantic Initiative for Nanotechnology and the Environment
Investigators: Unrine, Jason M. , Bertsch, Paul M. , Wiesner, Mark R. , Lowry, Gregory V. , Tsyusko, Olga V. , Casman, Elizabeth , Liu, Jie , Kabengi, Nadine
Current Investigators: Bertsch, Paul M. , Dorey, Robert A , Rocks, Sophie A , McNear, David H. , Unrine, Jason M. , Wiesner, Mark R. , Lowry, Gregory V. , Tsyusko, Olga V. , Neal, Andy , Jefferson, Bruce , Svendsen, Claus , Spurgeon, David , Casman, Elizabeth , Zhang, Hao , Harris, J. , Liu, Jie , Ritz, Karl , Kabengi, Nadine , McGrath, Steve , Lofts, Steve
Institution: University of Kentucky , Carnegie Mellon University , Lancaster University , Cranfield University , Centre for Ecology and Hydrology , Duke University , Rothamsted Research
Current Institution: University of Kentucky , Carnegie Mellon University , Centre for Ecology and Hydrology , Cranfield University , Duke University , Lancaster University , Rothamsted Research
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: August 1, 2010 through September 30, 2014 (Extended to June 30, 2016)
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 30, 2012 through October 1,2013
Project Amount: $2,000,000
RFA: Environmental Behavior, Bioavailability and Effects of Manufactured Nanomaterials - Joint US – UK Research Program (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Objective:
We have developed a life cycle perspective inspired conceptual model (CM) that suggests the importance of terrestrial ecosystems as a major repository of ZnO, TiO2, and Ag manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) introduced via the land application of MNM-containing biosolids. In this project we are investigating the transport, fate, behavior, bioavailability, and effects of MNMs in(to) agroecosystems under environmentally realistic scenarios organized around three key hypotheses: Hypothesis (H1) Surface chemistry is the primary factor influencing the fate and transport of MNMs in the terrestrial environment as well as the bioavailability and effects to biological receptors; Hypothesis (H2) Once released to the environment, pristine MNM surfaces will be modified by interactions with organic and inorganic ligands (macromolecules) or via other biogeochemical transformations (aging effects forming a-MNMs); Hypothesis (H3) Ecoreceptors will respond to interactions with pristine metal and metal oxide MNMs, a-MNMs, and/or dissolved constituent metal ions and bulk oxides by specific ecological and toxicogenomic responses that will reflect their combined effects. The overall objectives are to: O1) compare the transport, fate, behavior, bioavailability, and effects of MNMs, a-MNMs, and/or dissolved free metals/bulk oxides to organisms with key terrestrial ecosystem functions, as well as exposure pathways involving humans; O2) determine MNM, surface modified MNM and a-MNM interactions with important biological targets relevant to the BLM and pBRM models and relate these interactions to physicochemical properties; O3) validate models with information generated from experiments designed to address O1 for MNMs introduced through a pilot scale Waste Water Treatment Process (WWTP) to key terrestrial ecoreceptors, including effects of MNMs on the WWTP itself; O4) determine realistic MNM emission scenarios for Tier 1 MNMs in wastewater from the WWT pilot plant data and develop first generation Life-Cycle-Analysis-inspired Risk Assessment (LCA-RA) model components for terrestrial effects of Tier 1 MNMs and a-MNMS based on data generated in experiments designed to address O1, O2, & O3; and O5) provide tools for in situ detection, monitoring, and characterization of pristine MNMs and a-MNMs in environmental media and biota.
Progress Summary:
Bioavailability and toxicity of Ag and ZnO NPs and selected transformed (weathered) MNMs: Ongoing studies of pristine and aged (fully suflidized) Ag NPs in C. elegans are nearly completed. The results indicated that there are particle specific effects and that the relative importance of Ag ions as a contributor to toxicity decreases with increasing Ag concentration. The results of imaging and toxicogenomic studies suggested that toxicity of pristine and aged Ag NPs differs from each other and from Ag ions. The mechanism of fully sulfidized Ag NP toxicity is likely related to damage to the cuticle. Studies of the toxicity of pristine ZnO, fully phosphatized ZnO, and Zn3(PO4)2 shell-ZnO core aged NPs have been initiated in both C. elegans and Medicago truncatula inoculated with Sinorhizobium meliloti. Our partners at Rothamstead and CEH in the UK are completing similar studies in E. fetida, C. elegans and P. fluorescens.
Bioavailability and toxicity of transformed TiO2, Ag and ZnO NPs in biosolids amended soils: We have also completed exposures of Medicago truncatula inoculated with Sinorhizobium meliloti to both fresh biosolids amended soil and biosolids amended soil that was aged at Rothamsted research for 6 months. Samples have been collected to determine metal uptake, gene expression, nodulation and nitrogen fixation rates, and soil microbial community responses. The data are currently being analyzed from these studies. Similar studies have been completed in Triticum aestivum at Rothamsted and are underway in E. fetida at CEH. Cranfield is also completing microbial community analyses in the fresh and aged biosolids amended soils. The results are just beginning to pour in from these studies and will be reported in the next reporting period.
Risk Assessment Modeling: We have developed a one-dimensional mass balance model of the sulfide- and oxygen-dependent chemical transformations of AgNPs in sediments. Initial work on the sediment model was completed and published this year (Dale et al., 2013). The sediment model focused on the seasonally variable transformations that AgNPs and their reaction products will undergo in natural soils and sediments (e.g., sulfidation, oxidation, partitioning of Ag+ to organic carbon) under a range of environmental conditions, and the effect these transformations have on nanoparticle accumulation and bioavailability. Results show that the relative abundance of the toxic species Ag+ is extremely low (< 0.01 wt-%), and that environmental conditions play an important role in AgNP fate. The half-life of sulfidized AgNPs can vary from 6.6 years to over a century depending on oxygen availability in the sediments.
Future Activities:
Journal Articles on this Report : 4 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 69 publications | 39 publications in selected types | All 39 journal articles |
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Dale AL, Lowry GV, Casman EA. Modeling nanosilver transformations in freshwater sediments. Environmental Science & Technology 2013;47(22):12920-12928. |
R834574 (2013) R834574 (2014) R834574 (Final) |
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Judy JD, Unrine JM, Rao W, Bertsch PM. Bioaccumulation of gold nanomaterials by Manduca sexta through dietary uptake of surface contaminated plant tissue. Environmental Science & Technology 2012;46(22):12672-12678. |
R834574 (2012) R834574 (2013) R834574 (Final) |
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Tsyusko OV, Harda SS, Shoults-Wilson WA, Starnes CP, Joice G, Butterfield DA, Unrine JM. Short-term molecular-level effects of silver nanoparticle exposure on the earthworm, Eisenia fetida. Environmental Pollution 2012;171:249-255. |
R834574 (2012) R834574 (2013) R834574 (Final) |
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Whitley AR, Levard C, Oostveen E, Bertsch PM, Matocha CJ, von der Kammer F, Unrine JM. Behavior of Ag nanoparticles in soil: effects of particle surface coating, aging and sewage sludge amendment. Environmental Pollution 2013;182:141-149. |
R834574 (2013) R834574 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Environmental nanotechnology, nanotoxicology, environmental chemistry, ecological and human health risks of manufactured nanomaterials, chemical speciation, biosensors, environmental chemistry, biogeochemistryRelevant Websites:
http://www.research.uky.edu/odyssey/features/nanotech.html
http://www.pratt.duke.edu/duke_ceint_tine
http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/ProjectDetails.php?ID=5094
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
- Final Report
- 2015 Progress Report
- 2014 Progress Report
- 2012 Progress Report
- 2011 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
39 journal articles for this project