Manufactured nanoparticle bioavailability and environmental exposure (nanoBEE)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
Abstract
The nano-BEE consortia will develop and refine, using empirical data, a critical subset of models focused on exposure to nanomaterials (NMs) and their bioavailability in the environment. The objectives of this study are to (a) generate controlled and well-characterized NMs libraries for environmental assessment (b) prove that soft landed gold clusters provide suitable fiducial markers to enable angstrom resolution in aquatic tomography of NMs in environmental media (c) demonstrate that NM environmental modification processes can be classified by the extent of aggregation, dissolution and surface modification and to experimentally and computationally describe the partition of these modified NMs between environmental compartments (d) to develop modified biodynamic models for NM bioavailability that reflect both water and food exposures and (e) to validate biotic ligand models for NM effects on aquatic organisms. An integrated computational and experimental program will examine the environmental chemistry of manufactured NMs using electron microscopy, scattering techniques, and spectroscopy; use traceable NMs to quantify influx and efflux rates in model aquatic species, including in a trophic chain; and employ both conventional measures of toxicological endpoints as well as the latest molecular ('omics') methods to quantify biological effects as well as identify new mechanisms for toxicity. Such information will be input into biotic ligand models for NMs classes that output anticipated EC50 and other outcomes given information about NM exposure and local water chemistry. Through its engagement with end-users the consortia will link its predictions of NM body burdens and toxicological outcomes to risk management frameworks useful in regulatory decision-making.
Organisations
- University of Birmingham (Lead Research Organisation)
- AstraZeneca (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- National Physical Laboratory (Project Partner)
- Joint Research Centre (Project Partner)
- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Project Partner)
- University of Nottingham (Project Partner)
Publications
Arkill KP
(2015)
Using size-selected gold clusters on graphene oxide films to aid cryo-transmission electron tomography alignment.
in Scientific reports
Baalousha M
(2012)
Characterization of cerium oxide nanoparticles-part 1: size measurements.
in Environmental toxicology and chemistry
Collin B
(2014)
Environmental release, fate and ecotoxicological effects of manufactured ceria nanomaterials
in Environ. Sci.: Nano
Dale AL
(2015)
Modeling nanomaterial environmental fate in aquatic systems.
in Environmental science & technology
Dogra Y
(2016)
Cerium oxide nanoparticles induce oxidative stress in the sediment-dwelling amphipod Corophium volutator.
in Nanotoxicology
Ellis LA
(2016)
Impact of surface coating and environmental conditions on the fate and transport of silver nanoparticles in the aquatic environment.
in The Science of the total environment
Fabrega J
(2012)
Sequestration of zinc from zinc oxide nanoparticles and life cycle effects in the sediment dweller amphipod Corophium volutator.
in Environmental science & technology
Larner F
(2012)
Tracing bioavailability of ZnO nanoparticles using stable isotope labeling.
in Environmental science & technology
Lowry GV
(2012)
Transformations of nanomaterials in the environment.
in Environmental science & technology
Römer I
(2016)
High Resolution STEM-EELS Study of Silver Nanoparticles Exposed to Light and Humic Substances.
in Environmental science & technology