| 1. |
- Abrahamsson, Camilla, et al.
(författare)
-
Characterization of airborne dust emissions from three types of crushed multi-walled carbon nanotube-enhanced concretes
- 2024
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 2452-0748. ; 34
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dispersing Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) into concrete at low (<1 wt% in cement) concentrations may improve concrete performance and properties and provide enhanced functionalities. When MWCNT-enhanced concrete is fragmented during remodelling or demolition, the stiff, fibrous and carcinogenic MWCNTs will, however, also be part of the respirable particulate matter released in the process. Consequently, systematic aerosolizing of crushed MWCNT-enhanced concretes in a controlled environment and measuring the properties of this aerosol can give valuable insights into the characteristics of the emissions such as concentrations, size range and morphology. These properties impact to which extent the emissions can be inhaled as well as where they are expected to deposit in the lung, which is critical to assess whether these materials might constitute a future health risk for construction and demolition workers. In this work, the impact from MWCNTs on aerosol characteristics was assessed for samples of three concrete types with various amounts of MWCNT, using a novel methodology based on the continuous drop method. MWCNT-enhanced concretes were crushed, aerosolized and the emitted particles were characterized with online and offline techniques. For light-weight porous concrete, the addition of MWCNT significantly reduced the respirable mass fraction (RESP) and particle number concentrations (PNC) across all size ranges (7 nm – 20 μm), indicating that MWCNTs dampened the fragmentation process by possibly reinforcing the microstructure of brittle concrete. For normal concrete, the opposite could be seen, where MWCNTs resulted in drastic increases in RESP and PNC, suggesting that the MWCNTs may be acting as defects in the concrete matrix, thus enhancing the fragmentation process. For the high strength concrete, the fragmentation decreased at the lowest MWCNT concentration, but increased again for the highest MWCNT concentration. All tested concrete types emitted <100 nm particles, regardless of CNT content. SEM imaging displayed CNTs protruding from concrete fragments, but no free fibres were detected.
|
|
| 2. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Influence of natural organic matter on the aquatic ecotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles: Recommendations for environmental risk assessment
- 2020
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-0748. ; 20
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, we investigate whether the influence of natural organic matter (NOM) on the aquatic ecotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) can be described quantitatively for the purpose of risk assessments based on existing ecotoxicity studies. A review of the literature studying the aquatic ecotoxicity of ENPs in the presence of NOM identified 66 studies in total, covering the metal and metal oxide ENPs most commonly used in consumer products. It was found that 80% of the studies show a reduction in ENP ecotoxicity in the presence of NOM. Analyses of ecotoxicity data based on 50% effect/inhibition/lethal concentrations (collectively referred to as XC50) were conducted. Correlations of XC50 values with the concentrations of NOM were investigated through Spearman's rank correlation coefficient as well as linear, power law, polynomial, exponential and logarithmic correlations. Furthermore, multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses, including also the pH in the reviewed ecotoxicity test systems (mainly in the range pH 7.0–8.5), were conducted. While none of these statistical approaches provided strong empirical correlations between XC50 values, NOM concentration and pH, an empirical rule of thumb was discovered for the ratio between XC50 values with and without NOM over an environmentally realistic concentration range for NOM (0.1–10 mg/L): XC50 values obtained in experiments with NOM present tended to be a factor of 1–10 higher than those without NOM. Until more accurate correlations are provided, a pragmatic approach for environmental risk assessments of ENPs might therefore be to use observed XC50 values from experiments without NOM present as reasonably conservative proxies for XC50 values with NOM present. Further studies are needed to confirm or falsify this rule of thumb for different ENPs, environmental conditions and metrics.
|
|
| 3. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Prospective environmental risk screening of seven advanced materials based on production volumes and aquatic ecotoxicity
- 2022
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-0748. ; 25
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The number and volume of advanced materials being manufactured is increasing. In order to mitigate future impacts from such materials, assessment methods that can provide early indications of potential environmental risk are required. This paper presents a further development and testing of an environmental risk screening method based on two proxy measures: aquatic ecotoxicity and global annual production volumes. In addition to considering current production volumes, this further developed method considers potential future production volumes, thereby enabling prospective environmental risk screening. The proxy measures are applied to seven advanced materials: graphene, graphene oxide, nanocellulose, nanodiamond, quantum dots, nano-sized molybdenum disulfide, and MXenes. Only MXenes show high aquatic ecotoxicity, though the number of test results is still very limited. While current production volumes are relatively modest for most materials, several of the materials (graphene, graphene oxide, nanocellulose, nano-sized molybdenum disulfide, and MXenes) have the potential to become high-volume materials in the future. For MXenes, with both high aquatic ecotoxicity and high potential future production volumes, more detailed environmental risk assessments should be considered. For the other materials with high potential future production volumes, the recommendation is to continuously monitor their aquatic ecotoxicity data. Based on the application of the proxy measures combined with future scenarios for production volumes, we recommend this environmental risk screening method be used in the early development of advanced materials to prioritize which advanced materials should be subject to more detailed environmental assessments.
|
|
| 4. |
- Bastos, Carlos A.P., et al.
(författare)
-
Copper nanoparticles have negligible direct antibacterial impact
- 2020
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-0748. ; 17
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Soluble copper that can be acquired by bacteria is toxic and therefore antimicrobial. Whether nanostructured copper materials, in either disperse or agglomerated form, have antimicrobial impact, aside from that of their dissolution products, is not clear and was herein addressed. Methods: We took five nanostructured copper materials, two metallic, and three oxo-hydroxides with one of these being silicate-substituted. Four agglomerated in the bacterial growth media whilst the silicate-substituted material remained disperse and small (6.5 nm diameter). Antibacterial activity against E. coli was assessed with copper phase distribution measured over time. Using the dose of soluble copper, and benchmark dose non-linear regression modelling, we determined how well this phase predicted antimicrobial activity. Finally, we used Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) analysis to investigate whether membrane adhe- sion effects by copper were plausible or if intracellular uptake most likely explained the bacterial impact of copper. Results: Comparison over time of antimicrobial activity against particulate or soluble phases of the aquated materials clearly demonstrated that soluble copper but not particulate forms were associated with inhibition of bacterial growth. Indeed, the benchmark dose modelling showed the soluble dose required to cause a 50% reduction in E. coli growth was strongly clustered – for all particle formulations – at 14.5 mg/L (10–19 mg/L 90% confidence interval). By comparison, total copper levels associated with the same reduction in viability varied widely (45–549 mg/L). Finally, in favour of this soluble product dominance in terms of antimicrobial activity, copper had low association with bacterial membrane (something both soluble and particulate materials could do) but showed high intra-bacterial levels (something only soluble copper could do). Conclusion: Taken together our data show that it is the uptake of soluble but not particulate copper, and the intracellular loading not just contact and membrane association, that drives copper toxicity to bacteria. Therapeutic strategies for novel antimicrobial copper compounds should consider these findings.
|
|
| 5. |
- Book, Frida, 1989, et al.
(författare)
-
Ecotoxicity screening of seven different types of commercial silica nanoparticles using cellular and organismic assays : Importance of surface and size
- 2019
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-0748. ; 13, s. 100-111
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We show that seven different types of commercial, biocide-free, colloidal silica products with mean particle sizes between 17 and 88 nm with 3 different surface chemistries (Na-stabilized, aluminized and silane-modified) are not toxic to the bacterium Pseudomonas putida, and the algae Raphidocelis subcapitata in the concentration range 5–500 mg/L. They are also not acutely toxic to Daphnia magna at concentrations up to 10,000 mg/L. Six silica particles are toxic to the gill cell line RTgill-W1 from Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), showing a clear concentration-response relationship with EC50 values between 13 and 92 mg/L. Toxicity in the fish cells decreases with increasing hydrodynamic size and is dependent on particle surface area. The average EC50 across the tested particles is 2.1 (±0.3) m2/L. Surface modifications clearly impact toxicity, with silane-modified particles showing no cytotoxicity. The reduced number of free silanol groups on the surface of the silane modified particle, in combination with an increased steric hindrance that prevents contact with the cells is a possible mechanism for the observed lack of toxicity. This is also in line with previous studies on silica nanoparticles in human toxicology. Overall, these findings show a generally low ecotoxicity of silica nanoparticles and indicate that silica particles of different sizes but identical surface chemistry could potentially be grouped into an assessment group under regulation such as REACH.
|
|
| 6. |
- Cornelis, Geert
(författare)
-
Toxicokinetics of Ag from Ag2S NP exposure in Tenebrio molitor and Porcellio scaber: Comparing single-species tests to indoor mesocosm experiments
- 2023
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-0748. ; 29
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Determining the potential for accumulation of Ag from Ag2S NPs as an environmentally relevant form of AgNPs in different terrestrial organisms is an essential component of a realistic risk assessment of AgNP emissions to soils. The objectives of this study were first to determine the uptake kinetics of Ag in mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and woodlice (Porcellio scaber) exposed to Ag2S NPs in a mesocosm test, and second, to check if the obtained toxicokinetics could be predicted by single-species bioaccumulation tests. In the mesocosms, meal-worms and woodlice were exposed together with plants and earthworms in soil columns spiked with 10 mu g Ag g(-1) dry soil as Ag2S NPs or AgNO3. The total Ag concentrations in the biota were measured after 7, 14, and 28 days of exposure. A one-compartment model was used to calculate the Ag uptake and elimination rate constants. Ag from Ag2S NPs appeared to be taken up by the mealworms with significantly different uptake rate constants in the mesocosm compared to single-species tests (K-1 = 0.056 and 1.66 g dry soil g(-1) dry body weight day(-1), respectively), and a significant difference was found for the Ag bioaccumulation factor (BAFk = 0.79 and 0.15 g dry soil g(-1) dry body weight, respectively). Woodlice did not accumulate Ag from Ag2S NPs in both tests, but uptake from AgNO3 was significantly slower in mesocosm than in single-species tests (K-1 = 0.037 and 0.26 g dry soil g(-1) dry body weight day(-1), respectively). Our results are of high significance because they show that single-species tests may not be a good predictor for the Ag uptake in mealworms and woodlice in exposure systems having greater levels of biological complexity. Nevertheless, single-species tests could be used as a fast screening approach to assess the potential of a substance to accumulate in biota before more complex tests are conducted.
|
|
| 7. |
- Danielsson, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Effects of the adsorption of NOM model molecules on the aggregation of TiO2 nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions
- 2018
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-0748. ; 10, s. 177-187
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- © 2018 Interaction of synthetic TiO2(anatase) nanoparticles in aqueous suspension at pH 5 was investigated as a function of time in the presence of various organic molecules in terms of adsorption and aggregation behaviour. ζ-potential and average particle diameter were determined with electrophoretic and dynamic light scattering, respectively, while batch adsorption experiments were used to quantify the amount of organic ligand adsorbed to the TiO2NP. An IR spectroscopic study was carried out at pH 2.8 and 5 to gain information about the interactions of the adsorbed molecules with the TiO2surface on the molecular level. Furthermore, DLVO calculations provided information about the interaction energies between particles and their tendency to aggregate under some experimental conditions. Colloidal stability of TiO2NPs in the presence of organic molecules was studied during a time period of up to 90 days. Results showed that ligands with different functional groups may interact differently with the surface depending on the type and position of available surface sites, the molecular structure of the ligand and suspension pH. Adsorption, hydrodynamic diameter and ζ-potential were affected by the ligand concentration in all tested systems. Increased concentration gave rise to increased adsorption, while ζ-potential decreased and charge inversion was observed for all tested molecules at pH 5. IR spectroscopic study showed the formation of inner sphere and/or outer sphere complexes depending on pH and type of organic ligand. According to DLVO calculations, the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) indicated a trend of increasing colloidal stability with increased concentration of SRFA at pH 5, which was in agreement with the experimental data.
|
|
| 8. |
- Gallego-Urrea, Julian A., 1977, et al.
(författare)
-
Coagulation and sedimentation of gold nanoparticles and illite in model natural waters: Influence of initial particle concentration
- 2016
-
Ingår i: NanoImpact. - : Elsevier BV. - 2452-0748. ; 3-4, s. 67-74
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) possess unique characteristics that render them adequate for applications and also to be used as a model NP to evaluate the fate and behavior at low NP concentrations due to the ease of detection by modern analytical techniques. Moreover, AuNP may result in some negative effects in the environment and there is a necessity to predict their aquatic environmental concentrations by parameterizing the underlying transport and transformation processes. This study investigated the coagulation and sedimentation of 30 nm citrate-coated AuNP under enviro-mimicking conditions, i.e. model natural freshwaters (MNW) covering the range of European water chemistries relevant for colloids and NP (major ions, pH and dissolved organic matter) and artificial seawater (ASW). Firstly, the coagulation rates of AuNP at mg/L concentrations were evaluated using time-resolved dynamic light scattering which showed a decreased rate upon addition of Suwannee river natural organic matter (SRNOM) at low ionic strength (IS) but remained relatively high at high IS. Contrastingly, AuNP approaching environmental realistic concentrations (80 μg/L) in quiescent microcosms showed slow decline rates in all MNW and ASW regardless of the presence of SRNOM, as measured by nanoparticle tracking analysis and elemental Au spectrometry. When illite was added as model natural colloid the rates of decline of AuNP remained low as well. This is owing to limited collisions at low particle number concentrations. The results show that besides IS, pH, NOM concentration and type and the intrinsic surface charge of the particles, the particle number concentration and size distribution of both AuNP and natural colloids determine the extent of the large-scale fate of NP in aquatic environments.
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
