Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Ecotoxicology of Manufactured
Nanoparticles
Simon C. Apte , Nicola J. Rogers and Graeme E. Batley
Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, CSIRO Land and Water, Bangor,
NSW, Australia
7.1
Introduction
Ecotoxicology is a relatively young branch of science and has evolved signifi cantly
over the last 30 years. Forbes and Forbes (1994) defi ne ecotoxicology as 'the fi eld
of study which integrates the ecological and toxicological effects of chemical pol-
lutants in populations, communities and ecosystems with the fate (transport, trans-
formation and breakdown) of such pollutants in the environment'. Ecotoxicologists
acquire information by both laboratory testing (bioassays) and fi eld studies, which
may involve individual organisms, communities and populations. Both approaches
have a role to play in understanding the effects of contaminants on living organisms.
Laboratory bioassays may examine acute or chronic organism responses and may
use various endpoints such as lethality or suppression of growth. Biomarkers of
organism stress may also be employed to measure the sub-lethal effects of contami-
nants on organisms.
Ecotoxicology plays a central role in the testing and regulation of new substances.
Safety evaluations carried out in most developed countries include ecotoxicity tests
to enable some assessment of the risk to the environment (e.g. acute toxicity to fi sh,
invertebrates and algae). A number of standard test procedures have been adopted
internationally and are used for the testing of new substances (OECD, 2006). A
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