Submit to Nanomaterials Review for Nanomaterials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Nanoscience and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 64177

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology book cover image

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vivian Hsiu-Chuan Liao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Interests: Environmental Molecular Toxicology; Food Safety and Food Sciences; Environmental Biotechnology and Microbiology; Environmental Risk Assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, the applications of nanotechnology have dramatically increased in many areas such as cosmetics, medicine, food packaging, environment, agriculture, electronics, and others. Despite its useful applications, nanomaterials (at least one dimension <100 nm) due to their small size and unique properties, concerns have been raised about their potential environmental impact and hazard to human health. In addition, given the increasing production, nanomaterials might potentially release into the environment, leading to potential risks to the ecosystem. Besides engineered nanomaterials, nanoplastics, the degradation products of microplastics, have also attracted increasing concern due to the large production and usage of plastics, which might lead to widespread existence of nanoplastics in the environment and pose potential toxicity for living organisms. Until now, there are still huge gaps and unknown knowledge about the fate, behavior, and toxicity of nanoparticles in the environmental system. This Special Issue aims to gather recent novel research findings of various types of nanoparticles on the determination, detection, and degradation in the environment as well as the toxicity and risk assessment of nanoparticles.

Prof. Dr. Vivian Hsiu-Chuan Liao
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

engineered nanomaterials
nanoplastics
toxicity
risk assessment
fate
behavior

Published Papers (11 papers)

Download All Papers

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 176 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology

by Vivian Hsiu-Chuan Liao

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(6), 1053; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano13061053 - 15 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1190

Abstract

Nanomaterials, including engineered nanoparticles and microplastics/nanoplastics, have attracted increasing concern as they might potentially release into the environment, leading to potential risks to ecosystems [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

12 pages, 2089 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Dietary Transfer of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Induces Locomotive Defects Associated with GABAergic Motor Neuron Damage in Caenorhabditis elegans

by Chun Ming How and Chi-Wei Huang

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(2), 289; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano13020289 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1539

Abstract

The widespread use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and their release into the environment have raised concerns about the potential toxicity caused by dietary transfer. However, the toxic effects and the mechanisms of dietary transfer of ZnO-NPs have rarely been investigated. We employed the bacteria-feeding nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as the model organism to investigate the neurotoxicity induced by exposure to ZnO-NPs via trophic transfer. Our results showed that ZnO-NPs accumulated in the intestine of C. elegans and also in Escherichia coli OP50 that they ingested. Additionally, impairment of locomotive behaviors, including decreased body bending and head thrashing frequencies, were observed in C. elegans that were fed E. coli pre-treated with ZnO-NPs, which might have occurred because of damage to the D-type GABAergic motor neurons. However, these toxic effects were not apparent in C. elegans that were fed E. coli pre-treated with zinc chloride (ZnCl₂). Therefore, ZnO-NPs particulates, rather than released Zn ions, damage the D-type GABAergic motor neurons and adversely affect the locomotive behaviors of C. elegans via dietary transfer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5961 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fe₃O₄-Halloysite Nanotube Composites as Sustainable Adsorbents: Efficiency in Ofloxacin Removal from Polluted Waters and Ecotoxicity

by Doretta Capsoni, Paola Lucini, Debora Maria Conti, Michela Bianchi, Federica Maraschi, Beatrice De Felice, Giovanna Bruni, Maryam Abdolrahimi, Davide Peddis, Marco Parolini, Silvia Pisani and Michela Sturini

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(23), 4330; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12234330 - 06 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1851

Abstract

The present work aimed at decorating halloysite nanotubes (HNT) with magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles through different synthetic routes (co-precipitation, hydrothermal, and sol-gel) to test the efficiency of three magnetic composites (HNT/Fe₃O₄) to remove the antibiotic ofloxacin (OFL) from waters. The chemical–physical features of the obtained materials were characterized through the application of diverse techniques (XRPD, FT-IR spectroscopy, SEM, EDS, and TEM microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and magnetization measurements), while ecotoxicity was assessed through a standard test on the freshwater organism Daphnia magna. Independently of the synthesis procedure, the magnetic composites were successfully obtained. The Fe₃O₄ is nanometric (about 10 nm) and the weight percentage is sample-dependent. It decorates the HNT’s surface and also forms aggregates linking the nanotubes in Fe₃O₄-rich samples. Thermodynamic and kinetic experiments showed different adsorption capacities of OFL, ranging from 23 to 45 mg g⁻¹. The kinetic process occurred within a few minutes, independently of the composite. The capability of the three HNT/Fe₃O₄ in removing the OFL was confirmed under realistic conditions, when OFL was added to tap, river, and effluent waters at µg L⁻¹ concentration. No acute toxicity of the composites was observed on freshwater organisms. Despite the good results obtained for all the composites, the sample by co-precipitation is the most performant as it: (i) is easily magnetically separated from the media after the use; (ii) does not undergo any degradation after three adsorption cycles; (iii) is synthetized through a low-cost procedure. These features make this material an excellent candidate for removal of OFL from water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5765 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Toxic Effects and Mechanisms of Silver and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Zebrafish Embryos in Aquatic Ecosystems

by Yen-Ling Lee, Yung-Sheng Shih, Zi-Yu Chen, Fong-Yu Cheng, Jing-Yu Lu, Yuan-Hua Wu and Ying-Jan Wang

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(4), 717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12040717 - 21 Feb 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2877

Abstract

The global application of engineered nanomaterials and nanoparticles (ENPs) in commercial products, industry, and medical fields has raised some concerns about their safety. These nanoparticles may gain access into rivers and marine environments through industrial or household wastewater discharge and thereby affect the ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on zebrafish embryos in aquatic environments. We aimed to characterize the AgNP and ZnONP aggregates in natural waters, such as lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, and to determine whether they are toxic to developing zebrafish embryos. Different toxic effects and mechanisms were investigated by measuring the survival rate, hatching rate, body length, reactive oxidative stress (ROS) level, apoptosis, and autophagy. Spiking AgNPs or ZnONPs into natural water samples led to significant acute toxicity to zebrafish embryos, whereas the level of acute toxicity was relatively low when compared to Milli-Q (MQ) water, indicating the interaction and transformation of AgNPs or ZnONPs with complex components in a water environment that led to reduced toxicity. ZnONPs, but not AgNPs, triggered a significant delay of embryo hatching. Zebrafish embryos exposed to filtered natural water spiked with AgNPs or ZnONPs exhibited increased ROS levels, apoptosis, and lysosomal activity, an indicator of autophagy. Since autophagy is considered as an early indicator of ENP interactions with cells and has been recognized as an important mechanism of ENP-induced toxicity, developing a transgenic zebrafish system to detect ENP-induced autophagy may be an ideal strategy for predicting possible ecotoxicity that can be applied in the future for the risk assessment of ENPs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Standardization for Determining Dissolution Kinetics of Nanomaterials in Natural Aquatic Environments: Continuous Flow Dissolution of Ag Nanoparticles

by Lucie Stetten, Aiga Mackevica, Nathalie Tepe, Thilo Hofmann and Frank von der Kammer

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(3), 519; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12030519 - 02 Feb 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1945

Abstract

The dissolution of metal-based engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in aquatic environments is an important mechanism governing the release of toxic dissolved metals. For the registration of ENMs at regulatory bodies such as REACH, their dissolution behavior must therefore be assessed using standardized experimental approaches. To date, there are no standardized procedures for dissolution testing of ENMs in environmentally relevant aquatic media, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) strongly encourages their development into test guidelines. According to a survey of surface water hydrochemistry, we propose to use media with low concentrations of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ for a better simulation of the ionic background of surface waters, at pH values representing acidic (5 < pH < 6) and near-neutral/alkaline (7 < pH < 8) waters. We evaluated a continuous flow setup adapted to expose small amounts of ENMs to aqueous media, to mimic ENMs in surface waters. For this purpose, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were used as model for soluble metal-bearing ENMs. Ag NPs were deposited onto a 10 kg.mol⁻¹ membrane through the injection of 500 µL of a 5 mg.L⁻¹ or 20 mg.L⁻¹ Ag NP dispersion, in order to expose only a few micrograms of Ag NPs to the aqueous media. The dissolution rate of Ag NPs in 10 mM NaNO₃ was more than two times higher for ~2 µg compared with ~8 µg of Ag NPs deposited onto the membrane, emphasizing the importance of evaluating the dissolution of ENMs at low concentrations in order to keep a realistic scenario. Dissolution rates of Ag NPs in artificial waters (2 mM Ca(NO₃)₂, 0.5 mM MgSO₄, 0–5 mM NaHCO₃) were also determined, proving the feasibility of the test using environmentally relevant media. In view of the current lack of harmonized methods, this work encourages the standardization of continuous flow dissolution methods toward OECD guidelines focused on natural aquatic environments, for systematic comparisons of nanomaterials and adapted risk assessments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 20542 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Nanopollution from Commercial Products in Water Environments

by Raisibe Florence Lehutso and Melusi Thwala

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(10), 2537; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11102537 - 28 Sep 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3244

Abstract

The use of nano-enabled products (NEPs) can release engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) into water resources, and the increasing commercialisation of NEPs raises the environmental exposure potential. The current study investigated the release of ENMs and their characteristics from six commercial products (sunscreens, body creams, sanitiser, and socks) containing nTiO₂, nAg, and nZnO. ENMs were released in aqueous media from all investigated NEPs and were associated with ions (Ag⁺ and Zn²⁺) and coating agents (Si and Al). NEPs generally released elongated (7–9 × 66–70 nm) and angular (21–80 × 25–79 nm) nTiO₂, near-spherical (12–49 nm) and angular nAg (21–76 × 29–77 nm), and angular nZnO (32–36 × 32–40 nm). NEPs released varying ENMs’ total concentrations (ca 0.4–95%) of total Ti, Ag, Ag⁺, Zn, and Zn²⁺ relative to the initial amount of ENMs added in NEPs, influenced by the nature of the product and recipient water quality. The findings confirmed the use of the examined NEPs as sources of nanopollution in water resources, and the physicochemical properties of the nanopollutants were determined. Exposure assessment data from real-life sources are highly valuable for enriching the robust environmental risk assessment of nanotechnology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1647 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phototransformation of Graphene Oxide on the Removal of Sulfamethazine in a Water Environment

by Fei-Fei Liu, Meng-Ru Li, Su-Chun Wang, Yu-Xue Zhang, Guang-Zhou Liu and Jin-Lin Fan

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(8), 2134; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11082134 - 22 Aug 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2372

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) is widely used in various fields and has raised concerns regarding its potential environmental fate and effect. However, there are few studies on its influence on coexisting pollutants. In this study, the phototransformation of GO and coexisting sulfamethazine (SMZ) under UV irradiation was investigated, with a focus on the role of reactive oxygen species. The results demonstrated that GO promoted the degradation of SMZ under UV irradiation. The higher the concentration of GO, the higher the degradation rate of SMZ, and the faster the first-order reaction rate. Two main radicals, ∙OH and ¹O₂, both contributed greatly in terms of regulating the removal of SMZ. Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, and pH mainly promoted SMZ degradation by increasing the generation of ∙OH, while humic acid inhibited SMZ degradation due to the reduction of ∙OH. Moreover, after UV illumination, the GO suspension changed from light yellow to dark brown with increasing absorbance at a wavelength of 225 nm. Raman spectra revealed that the I_D/I_G ratio slightly decreased, indicating that some of the functional groups on the surface of GO were removed under low-intensity UV illumination. This study revealed that GO plays important roles in the photochemical transformation of environmental pollutants, which is helpful for understanding the environmental behaviors and risks of nanoparticles in aquatic environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 7534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Cytotoxicity and Surface Oxidation of Artificial Black Carbon

by Yen Thi-Hoang Le, Jong-Sang Youn, Hi-Gyu Moon, Xin-Yu Chen, Dong-Im Kim, Hyun-Wook Cho, Kyu-Hong Lee and Ki-Joon Jeon

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(6), 1455; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11061455 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2789

Abstract

The lacking of laboratory black carbon (BC) samples have long challenged the corresponding toxicological research; furthermore, the toxicity tests of engineered carbon nanoparticles were unable to reflect atmospheric BC. As a simplified approach, we have synthesized artificial BC (aBC) for the purpose of representing atmospheric BC. Surface chemical properties of aBC were controlled by thermal treatment, without transforming its physical characteristics; thus, we were able to examine the toxicological effects on A549 human lung cells arising from aBC with varying oxidation surface properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, verified the presence of increased amounts of oxygenated functional groups on the surface of thermally-treated aBC, indicating aBC oxidization at elevated temperatures; aBC with increased oxygen functional group content displayed increased toxicity to A549 cells, specifically by decreasing cell viability to 45% and elevating reactive oxygen species levels up to 294% for samples treated at 800 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2353 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Germination and Early Development of Three Spontaneous Plant Species Exposed to Nanoceria (nCeO₂) with Different Concentrations and Particle Sizes

by Daniel Lizzi, Alessandro Mattiello, Barbara Piani, Guido Fellet, Alessio Adamiano and Luca Marchiol

Nanomaterials 2020, 10(12), 2534; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano10122534 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1933

Abstract

This study aimed to provide insight regarding the influence of Ce oxide nanoparticles (nCeO₂) with different concentrations and two different particle sizes on the germination and root elongation in seedlings of spontaneous terrestrial species. In a bench-scale experiment, seeds of the monocot, Holcus lanatus and dicots Lychnis-flos-cuculi and Diplotaxis tenuifolia were treated with solutions containing nCeO₂ 25 nm and 50 nm in the range 0–2000 mg Ce L⁻¹. The results show that nCeO₂ enters within the plant tissues. Even at high concentration, nCeO₂ have positive effects on seed germination and the development of the seedling roots. This study further demonstrated that the particle size had no influence on the germination of L. flos-cuculi, while in H. lanatus and D. tenuifolia, the germination percentage was slightly higher (+10%) for seeds treated with nCeO₂ 25 nm with respect to 50 nm. In summary, the results indicated that nCeO₂ was taken up by germinating seeds, but even at the highest concentrations, they did not have negative effects on plant seedlings. The influence of the different sizes of nCeO₂ on germination and root development was not very strong. It is likely that particle agglomeration and ion dissolution influenced the observed effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

20 pages, 1233 KiB

Open AccessReview

Characteristics, Toxic Effects, and Analytical Methods of Microplastics in the Atmosphere

by Huirong Yang, Yinglin He, Yumeng Yan, Muhammad Junaid and Jun Wang

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(10), 2747; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11102747 - 17 Oct 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4058

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) (including nanoplastics (NPs)) are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 mm in size. They are produced by the crushing and decomposition of large waste plastics and widely distributed in all kinds of ecological environments and even in organisms, so they have been paid much attention by the public and scientific community. Previously, several studies have reviewed the sources, occurrence, distribution, and toxicity of MPs in water and soil. By comparison, the review of atmospheric MPs is inadequate. In particular, there are still significant gaps in the quantitative analysis of MPs and the mechanisms associated with the toxic effects of inhaled MPs. Thus, this review summarizes and analyzes the distribution, source, and fate of atmospheric MPs and related influencing factors. The potential toxic effects of atmospheric MPs on animals and humans are also reviewed in depth. In addition, the common sampling and analysis methods used in existing studies are introduced. The aim of this paper is to put forward some feasible suggestions on the research direction of atmospheric MPs in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2020 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Human Health

by Maxine Swee-Li Yee, Ling-Wei Hii, Chin King Looi, Wei-Meng Lim, Shew-Fung Wong, Yih-Yih Kok, Boon-Keat Tan, Chiew-Yen Wong and Chee-Onn Leong

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(2), 496; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11020496 - 16 Feb 2021

Cited by 302 | Viewed by 38359

Abstract

Plastics have enormous impacts to every aspect of daily life including technology, medicine and treatments, and domestic appliances. Most of the used plastics are thrown away by consumers after a single use, which has become a huge environmental problem as they will end up in landfill, oceans and other waterways. These plastics are discarded in vast numbers each day, and the breaking down of the plastics from micro- to nano-sizes has led to worries about how toxic these plastics are to the environment and humans. While, there are several earlier studies reported the effects of micro- and nano-plastics have on the environment, there is scant research into their impact on the human body at subcellular or molecular levels. In particular, the potential of how nano-plastics move through the gut, lungs and skin epithelia in causing systemic exposure has not been examined thoroughly. This review explores thoroughly on how nanoplastics are created, how they behave/breakdown within the environment, levels of toxicity and pollution of these nanoplastics, and the possible health impacts on humans, as well as suggestions for additional research. This paper aims to inspire future studies into core elements of micro- and nano-plastics, the biological reactions caused by their specific and unusual qualities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Nanoparticles in the Environment and Nanotoxicology

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (11 papers)

Editorial

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI