Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 15
Fate and Transport of Nanomaterials in Aquatic
Environments
Tian C.
Zhang,
Rao Surampalli, and Keith C. K. Lai
15.1 Introduction
While nanotechnology has the potential to provide benefits to society and to
improve the environment, some of the same unique properties that make nanomaterials
(NMs) or nanoparticles (NPs) beneficial also raise questions about the potential impacts
of NMs on humans as well as the environment. Considering the entire life cycle, it is
imperative to understand whether NMs, in particular those with the greatest potential to
be released into the environment and/or trigger a hazard concern, pose significant risks
to human health or ecosystems.
In general, environmental cycling of a contaminant (e.g., NMs) involves three
major components: source(s), media, and receptor(s) (Fig. 15.1). The links between the
source(s) and the receptor(s) are termed exposure pathway or route. NMs can enter into
the environments via several routes: (a) "down the drain" releases, such as industrial and
domestic wastewater; (b) storm water runoff; (c) atmospheric transport (dry and wet
deposition to waters); (d) agricultural/land applications of biosolids and/or nano-
pesticides (e.g., IOGEAR products; FirstScience News, 2008); and (e) deliberate
releases such as applications for remediation of groundwater and surface water. Once in
the environment, NMs will go to different environmental compartments. While
traditional chemical compartmentalization processes are expected to apply to NMs, the
question is how do we predict which compartments NMs will go into? What different or
additional data are required for NMs to make compartmentalization predictions?
The term "Fate and Transport" refers to the outcome of a contaminant in the
environment as a result of its potential to be transported, transformed (physically,
chemically, or biologically), or accumulated in one or more media (compartments).
474
Search WWH ::
Custom Search