Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
In this review, we address the release and transport of ENPs to the environment
andsummarizethedeleteriouseffectstheyhavebeenobservedtoinduceondiffer-
ent organisms. Several important issues that impinge on the environmental behavior
and safety of ENPs are addressed. These include the mobility of ENPs in different
environmentalmedia(e.g.,air,waterandsoil),theirtoxicityondifferentorganisms,
and the possible pathways by which the ENPs may produce their toxicity.
2
Engineered Nanoparticles and Their Applications
Since time immemorial, organisms and the environment have been exposed to natu-
ral nanoparticles like volcanic dust, ash, combustion by-products (e.g., carbon
black,soot),organicmatterlikehumicandfulvicacids,proteins,peptidesandcol-
loidalinorganicspeciespresentinnaturalwaterandinsoilsystems(Fig. 1 (Buffle
2006 ). In contrast to nascent and incidental nanoparticles, ENPs are produced by
processing materials at the nano scale.
ENPsarecomposedofcarbon,metalandmetal-oxides,semiconductors(quan-
tum dots (QDs) and polymers (dendrimers)). Carbon-based nanoparticles include
buckminsterfullerene,aC 60 molecule that resembles the stitching pattern evident on
Organic matters
Nascent
Soil particles, clay
Carbon black, soot, ash
Nanoparticles
Fullerene, CNT
Metals
Engineered
Metal oxides
Quantum dots
Fig. 1 An outline of nanoparticle types that can be released to the environment
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