The efficacy and environmental implications of engineered TiO2 nanoparticles in a commercial floor coating

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 2030-2042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuqiang Bi ◽  
Tatiana Zaikova ◽  
Jared Schoepf ◽  
Pierre Herckes ◽  
James E. Hutchison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tio2 Nanoparticles ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Engineered Nanomaterials ◽  
Product Performance ◽  
Environmental Implications

Engineered nanomaterials (ENM) have diverse applications in consumer products, but few studies weigh the improved product performance resulting from the inclusion of an ENM against the unintended consequences of released ENM.

scholarly journals Engineered nanomaterials and human health: Part 1. Preparation, functionalization and characterization (IUPAC Technical Report)

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (8) ◽  
pp. 1283-1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Gubala ◽  
Linda J. Johnston ◽  
Ziwei Liu ◽  
Harald Krug ◽  
Colin J. Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Close Contact ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Engineered Nanomaterials ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Size Dependent ◽  
Current State ◽  
Technical Report ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
To Come ◽  
Number Of Publications

Abstract Nanotechnology is a rapidly evolving field, as evidenced by the large number of publications on the synthesis, characterization, and biological/environmental effects of new nano-sized materials. The unique, size-dependent properties of nanomaterials have been exploited in a diverse range of applications and in many examples of nano-enabled consumer products. In this account we focus on Engineered Nanomaterials (ENM), a class of deliberately designed and constructed nano-sized materials. Due to the large volume of publications, we separated the preparation and characterisation of ENM from applications and toxicity into two interconnected documents. Part 1 summarizes nanomaterial terminology and provides an overview of the best practices for their preparation, surface functionalization, and analytical characterization. Part 2 (this issue, Pure Appl. Chem. 2018; 90(8): 1325–1356) focuses on ENM that are used in products that are expected to come in close contact with consumers. It reviews nanomaterials used in therapeutics, diagnostics, and consumer goods and summarizes current nanotoxicology challenges and the current state of nanomaterial regulation, providing insight on the growing public debate on whether the environmental and social costs of nanotechnology outweigh its potential benefits.

scholarly journals Unintended consequences of the potential phase-out of gamma irradiation

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacquelyn W Chou ◽  
Michelle Skornicki ◽  
Joshua T Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Regulatory Review ◽  
Require Time ◽  
Consumer Prices ◽  
Radiation Sources ◽  
Agricultural Applications ◽  
Food Borne Illness ◽  
Phase Out

The radioisotope cobalt-60 (Co-60) is important for commercial, medical, and agricultural applications. Its widespread use has meant that Co-60 can be found in less secured facilities, leading to the fear that unauthorized persons could obtain and use it to produce a “dirty bomb”. This potential security concern has led to government calls for phasing-out Co-60 and other radiation sources, despite ongoing safety and security regulations for handling, transport and use of radioactive sealed sources. This paper explores potential implications of phasing out radioisotopic technologies, including unintended safety and cost consequences for healthcare and food in the US and globally. The use of Co-60 for healthcare and agricultural applications is well-documented. Co-60 is used to sterilize single-use medical devices, tissue allografts, and a range of consumer products. Co-60 is used in Gamma Knife treatment of brain tumors in over 70,000 patients annually. Co-60 is also used to preserve food and kill insects and pathogens that cause food-borne illness. Co-60 is effective, reliable, and predictable. Limitations of alternative sterilization technologies include complex equipment, toxicities, incompatibilities with plastic, and physical hazards. Alternative ionizing radiation sources for wide-reaching applications, including e-beam and x-ray radiation, have advantages and drawbacks related to commercial scale capacity, penetrability, complexity and reliability. Identifying acceptable alternatives would require time, costs and lengthy regulatory review. FDA testing requirements and other hurdles would delay replacement of existing technologies and slow medical innovation, even delaying access to life-saving therapies.  A phase-out would raise manufacturing costs, and reduce supply-chain efficiencies, potentially increasing consumer prices, and reducing supply. These consequences are poorly understood and merit additional research. Given Co-60’s importance across medical and non-medical fields, restrictions on Co-60 warrant careful consideration and evaluation before adoption.

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

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (8) ◽  
pp. 1325-1356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Gubala ◽  
Linda J. Johnston ◽  
Harald F. Krug ◽  
Colin J. Moore ◽  
Christopher K. Ober ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Engineered Nanomaterials ◽  
Risk Regulation ◽  
Biological Targets ◽  
Nanosized Materials ◽  
Size Dependent ◽  
Expert Opinions ◽  
Technical Report

AbstractResearch 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.

Slugging: Casual Carpooling for Urban Transit

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiliang Cui ◽  
Kaili Li ◽  
Luyi Yang ◽  
Jinting Wang
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Social Optimum ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
The Road ◽  
Free Ride ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
On The Road

Problem definition: “Slugging,” or casual carpooling, refers to the commuting practice of drivers picking up passengers at designated locations and offering them a free ride in order to qualify for high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Academic/practical relevance: It is estimated that tens of thousands of daily commuters rely on slugging to go to work in major U.S. cities. As drivers save commute time and passengers ride for free, slugging can be a promising Smart Mobility solution. However, little is known about the welfare, policy, and environmental implications of slugging. Methodology: We develop a stylized model that captures the essence of slugging. We characterize commuters’ equilibrium behavior in the model. Results: We find that slugging indeed makes commuters better off. However, the widely observed free-ride tradition is socially suboptimal. As compared with the social optimum, commuters always underslug in the free-slugging equilibrium when highway travel time is insensitive to slugging activities but may overslug otherwise. The socially optimal outcome can be achieved by allowing pecuniary exchanges between drivers and passengers. Interestingly, passengers may be better off if they pay for a ride than if they do not under free slugging. We also find that although policy initiatives to expand highway capacity or improve public transportation always increase social welfare in the absence of slugging, they may reduce social welfare in areas where free slugging is a major commuting choice. Nevertheless, these unintended consequences would be mitigated by the introduction of pecuniary exchanges. Finally, contrary to conventional wisdom, slugging as a form of carpooling can result in more cars on the road and thus, more carbon emissions. Managerial implications: Our results call upon the slugging community to rethink the free-ride practice. We also caution that slugging benefits commuters possibly to the detriment of the environment.

Aggregation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles: role of calcium and phosphate

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rute F. Domingos ◽  
Caroline Peyrot ◽  
Kevin J. Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Tio2 Nanoparticles ◽  
Natural Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Correlation Spectroscopy ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Phosphate Adsorption ◽  
Nominal Size

Environmental context. The increasing use of nanomaterials in consumer products has led to increased concerns about their potential environmental and health impacts. TiO2 is a widely used nanoparticle found in sunscreens and electronic products. In order to understand and predict the mobility of TiO2 in the natural environment, it is essential to determine its state of aggregation under environmentally relevant conditions of pH, ionic strength, ion and natural organic matter content. Aggregation is likely to lead to both reduced mobility and bioavailability in soils and natural waters. Abstract. The physicochemical characterisation of nanomaterials is crucial to predict their environmental and health impacts. Ion adsorption is known to influence the surface properties of nano-metal oxides in natural systems. The role of calcium and phosphate adsorption on aggregation was examined in the presence and absence of natural organic matter. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was performed in order to determine the diffusion coefficients of TiO2 nanoparticles having a nominal size between 3 to 5 nm. Based upon FCS and electrophoretic mobility measurements, the presence of calcium resulted in a destabilisation and aggregation of the TiO2 nanoparticles, even in presence of Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA). Conditions which favoured phosphate adsorption also resulted in a destabilisation of the TiO2 sample but for low SRFA concentrations only.

Addressing Uncertainty in the Environmental Analysis of Nickel Nanoparticle Production

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm O. Brown ◽  
Karl R. Haapala ◽  
Brian K. Paul ◽  
Richard D. Glover ◽  
James E. Hutchison
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Nickel Nanoparticles ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Synthesis Methods ◽  
Single Element ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Nickel Nanoparticle ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Many ◽  
Ultimate Fate

In spite of the many potential benefits and applications of nanoparticles, concerns have been raised regarding their production, use, and ultimate fate due to poor process yields and uncertain health and environmental impacts. Production of commercial nanoparticles is growing as they find increasing use in industrial and consumer products. Nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) have shown promise as a single element braze material, but the energy and material efficiencies of NiNP production remain uncertain. In this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) is employed to compare three different NiNP synthesis methods in terms of environmental impact. The study reveals challenges in using LCA to assess nanomanufacturing processes. Sensitivity analysis is performed across several process parameters to demonstrate an approach for addressing data uncertainties. The relative performance of the NiNP synthesis processes are discussed, and potential environmental implications for other NiNP synthesis processes are introduced. Policy change may be necessary to provide adequate transparency in assessing nanotechnologies for engineering applications.

scholarly journals Aquatic Environment Exposure and Toxicity of Engineered Nanomaterials Released from Nano-Enabled Products: Current Status and Data Needs

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2868
Author(s):  
Mbuyiselwa Shadrack Moloi ◽  
Raisibe Florence Lehutso ◽  
Mariana Erasmus ◽  
Paul Johan Oberholster ◽  
Melusi Thwala
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Environment ◽  
Product Life Cycle ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Engineered Nanomaterials ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Environment Exposure ◽  
Data Limitations

Rapid commercialisation of nano-enabled products (NEPs) elevates the potential environmental release of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) along the product life cycle. The current review examined the state of the art literature on aquatic environment exposure and ecotoxicity of product released (PR) engineered nanomaterials (PR–ENMs). Additionally, the data obtained were applied to estimate the risk posed by PR–ENMs to various trophic levels of aquatic biota as a means of identifying priority NEPs cases that may require attention with regards to examining environmental implications. Overall, the PR–ENMs are predominantly associated with the matrix of the respective NEPs, a factor that often hinders proper isolation of nano-driven toxicity effects. Nevertheless, some studies have attributed the toxicity basis of observed adverse effects to a combination of the released ions, ENMs and other components of NEPs. Notwithstanding the limitation of current ecotoxicology data limitations, the risk estimated herein points to an elevated risk towards fish arising from fabrics’ PR–nAg, and the considerable potential effects from sunscreens’ PR–nZnO and PR–nTiO2 to algae, echinoderms, and crustaceans (PR–nZnO), whereas PR–nTiO2 poses no significant risk to echinoderms. Considering that the current data limitations will not be overcome immediately, we recommend the careful application of similar risk estimation to isolate/prioritise cases of NEPs for detailed characterisation of ENMs’ release and effects in aquatic environments.

scholarly journals Effects of Co-Exposure of Nanoparticles and Metals on Different Organisms: A Review

Toxics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 284
Author(s):  
Yasmina M. Abd-Elhakim ◽  
Mohamed M. Hashem ◽  
Khaled Abo-EL-Sooud ◽  
Bayan A. Hassan ◽  
Khlood M. Elbohi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Zinc Oxide ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Engineered Nanomaterials ◽  
Simultaneous Exposure ◽  
Natural Sources ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact

Wide nanotechnology applications and the commercialization of consumer products containing engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have increased the release of nanoparticles (NPs) to the environment. Titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, and silica NPs are widely implicated NPs in industrial, medicinal, and food products. Different types of pollutants usually co-exist in the environment. Heavy metals (HMs) are widely distributed pollutants that could potentially co-occur with NPs in the environment. Similar to what occurs with NPs, HMs accumulation in the environment results from anthropogenic activities, in addition to some natural sources. These pollutants remain in the environment for long periods and have an impact on several organisms through different routes of exposure in soil, water, and air. The impact on complex systems results from the interactions between NPs and HMs and the organisms. This review describes the outcomes of simultaneous exposure to the most commonly found ENMs and HMs, particularly on soil and aquatic organisms.

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