Application Of Engineered Nanomaterials Research Articles

Characterizing applications, exposure risks, and hazard communication for engineered nanomaterials in construction.

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) may pose health risks to workers. Objectives were to characterize ENM applications in construction, identify exposure scenarios, and evaluate the quality of safety data sheets (SDSs) for nano-enabled construction products. SDSs and product data were obtained from a public database of nano-enabled construction products. Descriptive statistics were calculated for affected trades, product categories, and types of ENMs. A sample of SDSs (n = 33) was evaluated using modified criteria developed by NIOSH researchers. Bulk analysis via transmission electron microscopy characterized nanoparticles in a subset of products. Companies report using >50 ENMs in construction products. ENM composition could not be determined via SDSs for 38.1% of the 907 products examined. Polymers and metal oxides tied for most frequently reported ENMs (n = 87, 9.6%). Nano silica, graphene, carbon nanotubes, and silver nanoparticles were also frequently reported. Most of the products were paints and coatings (n = 483, 53.3%), followed by pre-market additives, cementitious materials, insulation, and lubricants. Workers in twenty construction trades are likely to handle nano-enabled products, these particularly encompass cement and brick masons, painters, laborers, carpenters, glaziers, and insulators. A wide range of exposure scenarios were identified. SDSs were classified as satisfactory (18%), in need of improvement (12%), or in need of significant improvement (70%). Bulk analyses revealed discrepancies between actual ENM composition and those in SDSs. There has been significant progress investigating risks to construction workers posed by ENMs, but SDSs need major improvements. This study provides new insights on the use of ENMs in construction, exposure risks, and hazard communication.

Exploring the Effect of Engineered Nanomaterials on Soil Microbial Diversity and Functions: A Review

This review explores the impact of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) on soil microbial diversity, function, metabolic pathways, and resilience. With the increasing application of ENMs in agriculture and industrial fields, understanding their interaction with soil microorganisms is crucial. We examine various types of ENMs, their physicochemical properties, and how these influence soil microbial communities. This review highlights the dual role of ENMs, demonstrating both beneficial and detrimental effects on microbial diversity and activity. Fundamental interaction mechanisms, such as altering metabolic pathways and microbial community structure, are discussed. Additionally, we address the implications of ENM-induced changes for soil health and agricultural productivity. Further, the review provides insights into the complex dynamics of ENMs in soil ecosystems and outlines directions for future research to optimize their use while minimizing environmental risks.

Recent progress in bio-mediated synthesis and applications of engineered nanomaterials for sustainable agriculture.

The ever-increasing demand for agricultural food products, medicine, and other commercial sectors requires new technologies for agricultural practices and promoting the optimum utilization of natural resources. The application of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) enhance the biomass production and yield of food crop while resisting harmful environmental stresses. Bio-mediated synthesis of ENMs are time-efficient, low-cost, environmentally friendly, green technology. The precedence of using a bio-mediated route over conventional precursors for ENM synthesis is non-toxic and readily available. It possesses many active agents that can facilitate the reduction and stabilization processes during nanoparticle formation. This review presents recent developments in bio-mediated ENMs and green synthesis techniques using plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria, including significant contributions to identifying major ENM applications in agriculture with potential impacts on sustainability, such as the role of different ENMs in agriculture and their impact on different plant species. The review also covers the advantages and disadvantages of different ENMs and potential future research in this field.

Engineered Nanomaterials in Soil: Their Impact on Soil Microbiome and Plant Health.

A staggering number of nanomaterials-based products are being engineered and produced commercially. Many of these engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are finally disposed into the soil through various routes in enormous quantities. Nanomaterials are also being specially tailored for their use in agriculture as nano-fertilizers, nano-pesticides, and nano-based biosensors, which is leading to their accumulation in the soil. The presence of ENMs considerably affects the soil microbiome, including the abundance and diversity of microbes. In addition, they also influence crucial microbial processes, such as nitrogen fixation, mineralization, and plant growth promoting activities. ENMs conduct in soil is typically dependent on various properties of ENMs and soil. Among nanoparticles, silver and zinc oxide have been extensively prepared and studied owing to their excellent industrial properties and well-known antimicrobial activities. Therefore, at this stage, it is imperative to understand how these ENMs influence the soil microbiome and related processes. These investigations will provide necessary information to regulate the applications of ENMs for sustainable agriculture and may help in increasing agrarian production. Therefore, this review discusses several such issues.

Engineered nanomaterials in microbial fuel cells – Recent developments, sustainability aspects, and future outlook

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have recently emerged as green technology for the direct electricity generation from polluted (waste)water loaded with organic and inorganic contaminants. Despite the remarkable progress in applying MFCs to deal with different types of (waste)water, several issues, including the power density, durability, and costs of the electrode materials, are still to be tackled towards the commercialization of these technologies. The present manuscript provides a critical review of the recent advances and existing challenges in applying engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) to optimize the properties and performance of MFCs. The main advantages of the application of ENMs in the structure of MFCs are to provide a high specific surface area (SSA) for the electrodes, promote the electron transfer and oxygen reduction reactions, thereby representing a high level of biocompatibility for the adhesion of microbial communities, and being durable and cost-effective, especially when fabricated from natural resources. The sustainability aspects of ENMs-based MFC technologies and recommendations for future studies towards the development of sustainable nanomaterials-enabled developments of MFCs are discussed.

Nanomaterials in Plants: A Review of Hazard and Applications in the Agri-Food Sector.

Agricultural food crop plants interact with engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) from the application of agri-food nanotechnologies and from unintentional emissions originating from other nanotechnologies. Both types of exposure present implications for agricultural yield and quality, food chain transfer, and environmental and human health. In this review, the most recent findings from agricultural plant-ENM studies published in 2017 and 2018 are summarized. The aim of this is to identify the current hazard potential of ENMs for plants grown under typical field conditions that originate from both intentional and unintentional exposures and to contribute to knowledge-based decisions on the application of ENMs in food-agriculture. We also address recent knowledge on ENM adsorption, internalization, translocation, and bioaccumulation by plants, ENM impacts on agricultural crop yield and nutrition, and ENM biotransformation. Using adverse effect level concentrations and data on ENM accumulation in environmental matrices, the literature analyses revealed that C-, Ag-, Ce-, and Ti-based ENMs are unlikely to pose a risk to plants grown under typical field conditions, whereas Cu- and Zn-based ENMs require surveillance. Since multiple factors (e.g., ENM concentration, route of exposure, and plant type) influence the effects of ENMs on plants, biomonitoring is recommended for tracking ENM environmental exposure in the future.

Modelling engineered nanomaterials in wet-weather discharges

The impacts of the unintended release of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) and the resulting exposure to the ecosystems are still poorly understood and intensively debated. In current mass flow models, a global transfer coefficient is used to account for ENMs discharged from sewer systems to surface waters during rain events. However, different types of sewer systems and specific ENM applications likely require a more elaborate approach to quantify ENM loads entering surface waters during rain events.Therefore, we evaluated the impact of distinguishing between different application areas of ENMs (indoor/outdoor) and different types of sewer systems (combined/separate) on the loads of selected ENMs passing through wastewater systems and reaching the surface water. We applied a dynamic mass flow analysis to eight substances (TiO2, ZnO, Ag, SiO2, FeOx, CuO, CeO2 and carbon black) for six different sewer system configurations. To estimate the runoff from streets and facades, we used a hydrological model developed for dissolved substances. For areas with separate sewer systems only and ENMs predominantly used in and released from outdoor applications (e.g. CuO, carbon black), up to ~80% of the annual loads entering the sewer systems never reach a sewage treatment plant. Those ENMs are directly discharged to surface waters via stormwater outlets. For combined sewer systems and ENMs mainly applied indoors (e.g. Ag, ZnO), the percentage of ENM bypassing sewage treatment plants remains below 2%. Although the model is setup for Switzerland and other geographical areas will show for example different rain characteristics, the relative importance of the different release pathways will broadly remain the same and the results should, therefore, be transferrable to other countries.

Transformation of engineered nanomaterials through the prism of silver sulfidation.

Understanding the structure transformation of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) is a grand measurement challenge, which impacts many aspects of ENMs applications, such as their efficacy, safety, and environmental consequence. To address the significant knowledge gap regarding the fundamental kinetic rate and extent of ENM transformation in the environment, we present a comprehensive and mechanistic structural investigation of the transformation, aggregation, and dissolution behavior of a polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silver nanoparticle (AgNP) suspension upon sulfidation in moderately reduced hard water with fulvic acid and dissolved Na2S. This reaction is among the most prevalent and industrially and environmentally relevant ENMs transformation. Using ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and both in situ and ex situ synchrotron-based small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), we find that sulfidation of faceted AgNPs strongly depends on the crystallographic orientation of the facets, with nanometer-scale passivation layers developed on {111} and {100} facets and continuous nucleation and growth on {110} facets. Nanobeam electron diffraction and atomic resolution imaging show Ag and Ag2S domains both possess a high degree of crystalline order, contradicting amorphous structures as previously reported. In situ SAXS/XRD allowed simultaneous determination of the morphological changes and extent of sulfidation of AgNPs. SAXS/XRD results strongly indicate sulfidation follows first-order reaction kinetics without any aggregation. Aided by their size monodispersity, for the first time, using direct, in situ morphology and atomic-structure probes whose results mutually corroborate, we unequivocally determined the sulfidation rate constant of AgNPs under an environmentally relevant condition (≈0.013 min−1 for 68 nm diameter AgNPs). A rigorous analysis of the long-term sulfidation product of the AgNPs under different S/Ag ratios using ex situ SAXS/XRD clearly demonstrates that the silver mass in the original AgNP and transformed Ag/Ag2S NP is preserved. This result has important environmental implications, strongly suggesting that Ag+ ions, a known highly effective antimicrobial agent, are not leached into the solution during sulfidation of AgNPs. The combined nondestructive methodology can be extended to unfold the structure transformation pathway and kinetics in a broad range of ENM systems.

Engineered nanomaterials and human health: Part 2. Applications and nanotoxicology (IUPAC Technical Report)

Abstract Research on engineered nanomaterials (ENM) has progressed rapidly from the very early stages of studying their unique, size-dependent physicochemical properties and commercial exploration to the development of products that influence our everyday lives. We have previously reviewed various methods for synthesis, surface functionalization, and analytical characterization of ENM in a publication titled ‘Engineered Nanomaterials: Preparation, Functionalization and Characterization’. In this second, inter-linked document, we first provide an overview of important applications of ENM in products relevant to human healthcare and consumer goods, such as food, textiles, and cosmetics. We then highlight the challenges for the design and development of new ENM for bio-applications, particularly in the rapidly developing nanomedicine sector. The second part of this document is dedicated to nanotoxicology studies of ENM in consumer products. We describe the various biological targets where toxicity may occur, summarize the four nanotoxicology principles, and discuss the need for careful consideration of the biodistribution, degradation, and elimination routes of nanosized materials before they can be safely used. Finally, we review expert opinions on the risk, regulation, and ethical aspects of using engineered nanomaterials in applications that may have direct or indirect impact on human health or our environment.

Applications and Risks of Nanomaterials Used in Regenerative Medicine, Delivery Systems, Theranostics, and Therapy.

Recent advances in nanotechnology have transformed the biomedicine field, in which the use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) has provided the foundation for novel applications. For this reason, the number of ENMs has increased rapidly, and here we provide a classification of ENMs based on chemical composition and biomedical applications, which include regenerative medicine, delivery systems, theranostics, and therapy. These have been identified as the most advanced and promising areas for further studies with humans. In addition, we discuss possible side effects related to ENM uses. We identify carbon, metal, and metal oxides as the most versatile ENM material groups, used in bone and neuronal regenerative medicine, thermal therapy, theranostics, drug delivery, gene therapy, and biosensors. However, the majority of drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are lipid-based ENMs. We conclude that biomedical applications of ENMs offer potential benefits while side effects are mainly associated with occupational exposure. Finally, we suggest that in the future, nanocomposites, subnanometric structures, and biodegradable and biocorona formation could be used to improve the biomedical field by focusing on infectious diseases, early detection, and precision medicine.

Review of nanomaterials in dentistry: interactions with the oral microenvironment, clinical applications, hazards, and benefits.

Interest in the use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) as either nanomedicines or dental materials/devices in clinical dentistry is growing. This review aims to detail the ultrafine structure, chemical composition, and reactivity of dental tissues in the context of interactions with ENMs, including the saliva, pellicle layer, and oral biofilm; then describes the applications of ENMs in dentistry in context with beneficial clinical outcomes versus potential risks. The flow rate and quality of saliva are likely to influence the behavior of ENMs in the oral cavity, but how the protein corona formed on the ENMs will alter bioavailability, or interact with the structure and proteins of the pellicle layer, as well as microbes in the biofilm, remains unclear. The tooth enamel is a dense crystalline structure that is likely to act as a barrier to ENM penetration, but underlying dentinal tubules are not. Consequently, ENMs may be used to strengthen dentine or regenerate pulp tissue. ENMs have dental applications as antibacterials for infection control, as nanofillers to improve the mechanical and bioactive properties of restoration materials, and as novel coatings on dental implants. Dentifrices and some related personal care products are already available for oral health applications. Overall, the clinical benefits generally outweigh the hazards of using ENMs in the oral cavity, and the latter should not prevent the responsible innovation of nanotechnology in dentistry. However, the clinical safety regulations for dental materials have not been specifically updated for ENMs, and some guidance on occupational health for practitioners is also needed. Knowledge gaps for future research include the formation of protein corona in the oral cavity, ENM diffusion through clinically relevant biofilms, and mechanistic investigations on how ENMs strengthen the tooth structure.

Interactions between nanosized materials and the brain.

The current rapid development of nanotechnologies and engineered nanomaterials (ENM) will impact the society in a major fashion during the coming decades. This development also causes substantial safety concerns. Among the many promising applications of ENM, products that can be used for diagnosis and treatment of diseases, including conditions that affect the nervous system, are under development. ENM can pass the blood brain barrier (BBB) and accumulate within the brain. It seems that the nano-form rather than the bulk form of the chemicals pass the BBB, and that there is an inverse relationship between particle size and the ability to penetrate the BBB. Although translocation of ENM to the brain is possible during experimental conditions, the health relevance for real-life situations is far from clear. One major reason for this is that studies have been using nanoparticle concentrations that are far higher than the ones that can be expected during realistic exposures. However, very high exposure to the CNS can cause effects on neurotransmission, redox homeostasis and behavior. Available studies have been focusing on possible effects of the first generation of ENM. It will be necessary to study possible health effects also of expected novel sophisticated materials, independent of the outcome of present studies. The prospects for intended or targeted medical applications are promising since it has been shown that ENM can be made to pass the BBB and reach specific regions or cells within the brain.

Chemical basis of interactions between engineered nanoparticles and biological systems.

Chemical basis of interactions between engineered nanoparticles and biological systems.

POTENCJALNE NARAŻENIE NA NANOCZĄSTKI SREBRA PODCZAS ROZPYLANIA PREPARATU DO CZYSZCZENIA KLIMATYZACJI

Unique properties of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) and products made of them have contributed to a rapid progress in the production and application of ENMs in different branches of industry and in factories with different production scale. Bearing in mind that nano-objects (nanoplates, nanofibres, nanoparticles), emitted during ENM production and application, can cause many diseases, even those not yet recognized, extensive studies have been carried all over the world to assess the extent of exposure to nano-objects at workstations and related health effects in workers employed in ENM manufacture and application processes. The study of potential exposure to silver nanoparticles contained in the preparation for air-conditioning cleaning (Nano Silver from Amtra Sp. z o.o.) involved the determination of concentrations and size distribution of particles, using different devices, allowing for tracing changes in a wide range of dimensions, from nano-size (10 nm) to micrometer-size (10 pm), of the particles which are usually inhaled by humans. The results of the study shows that even during a short-term spraying of Nano Silver preparation (for 10 s) at the distance of 52 cm from the place of preparation spraying--particles of 10 nm-10 microm can be emitted into in the air. During a three-fold preparation spraying in similar conditions differences in concentration increase were observed, but in each case the particles remained in the air for a relatively long time.

A comprehensive environmental assessment approach to engineered nanomaterials

The anticipated benefits of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) should be weighed against their possible negative impacts. Comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA) provides a means of evaluating such trade-offs in a holistic and systematic manner. CEA consists of both a framework for organizing information and a process for using collective judgment to identify and prioritize the issues presented by ENMs. As a meta-assessment approach, CEA is designed to assist both research planners and risk managers by building on various assessment and analytic tools used by risk assessors. Given the immature state of the science for ENMs, CEA is currently being primarily used for prioritizing research directions. Therefore, highlights of case studies of selected ENM applications are presented to illustrate how CEA has been applied thus far to help guide research efforts to support future assessment efforts. In addition, CEA is discussed in relation to topical subjects, such as sustainability, transparency, and stakeholder engagement. Finally, comparisons to other life cycle-based assessment approaches directed at ENMs are noted.

Nanomaterials in the Environment: From Materials to High-Throughput Screening to Organisms

One of the challenges in the field of nanotechnology is environmental health and safety (EHS), including consideration of the properties of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) that could pose dangers to the environment. Progress in the field of nanomaterial development and nanotoxicology was presented at the International Conference on the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) on the UCLA campus on May 11-14, 2010. This event was cohosted by the University of California Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (UC CEIN) and the Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT) based at Duke University. Participants included scientists and scholars from various backgrounds, including chemistry, biology, engineering, nanomaterial science, toxicology, ecology, mathematics, sociology, and policy makers. The topics of discussion included safety evaluation of ENMs from an environmental perspective, nanotoxicology, ecotoxicology, safe design of ENMs, environmental risk assessment, public perception of nanotechnology, application of ENMs in consumer products, and many more. The UC CEIN presented data on their predictive toxicological approach to the assessment of ENM libraries, which were designed and synthesized to develop an understanding of the material properties that could lead to hazard generation at the cellular and organismal levels in the environment. This article will focus on the first metal oxide ENM library that was introduced to harmonize research activities in the UC CEIN, with particular emphasis on the safety assessment of ZnO on cells and organisms. Methods of decreasing the observed toxic effects will also be discussed as an integral component of the UC CEIN's activity in developing safer nanomaterials to lessen their environmental impacts.

Safety assessment for nanotechnology and nanomedicine: concepts of nanotoxicology

Nanotechnology, nanomedicine and nanotoxicology are complementary disciplines aimed at the betterment of human life. However, concerns have been expressed about risks posed by engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), their potential to cause undesirable effects, contaminate the environment and adversely affect susceptible parts of the population. Information about toxicity and biokinetics of nano-enabled products combined with the knowledge of unintentional human and environmental exposure or intentional delivery for medicinal purposes will be necessary to determine real or perceived risks of nanomaterials. Yet, results of toxicological studies using only extraordinarily high experimental doses have to be interpreted with caution. Key concepts of nanotoxicology are addressed, including significance of dose, dose rate, and biokinetics, which are exemplified by specific findings of ENM toxicity, and by discussing the importance of detailed physico-chemical characterization of nanoparticles, specifically surface properties. Thorough evaluation of desirable versus adverse effects is required for safe applications of ENMs, and major challenges lie ahead to answer key questions of nanotoxicology. Foremost are assessment of human and environmental exposure, and biokinetics or pharmacokinetics, identification of potential hazards, and biopersistence in cells and subcellular structures to perform meaningful risk assessments. A specific example of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) illustrates the difficulty of extrapolating toxicological results. MWCNT were found to cause asbestos-like effects of the mesothelium following intracavitary injection of high doses in rodents. The important question of whether inhaled MWCNT will translocate to sensitive mesothelial sites has not been answered yet. Even without being able to perform a quantitative risk assessment for ENMs, due to the lack of sufficient data on exposure, biokinetics and organ toxicity, until we know better it should be made mandatory to prevent exposure by appropriate precautionary measures/regulations and practicing best industrial hygiene to avoid future horror scenarios from environmental or occupational exposures. Similarly, safety assessment for medical applications as key contribution of nanotoxicology to nanomedicine relies heavily on nano-specific toxicological concepts and findings and on a multidisciplinary collaborative approach involving material scientists, physicians and toxicologists.