Fate and effects of nanomaterials in the aquatic environment

纳米技术有可能应用于几乎每一个工业部门，包括消费品、农业、保健和运输，以及生物修复和水处理。然而，在制造和使用纳米材料的过程中，它们会被释放到环境中，可能会对环境产生不利影响。虽然纳米技术有可能产生许多社会效益，但更好地了解释放到环境中的纳米物质对水生生物构成的风险也应该是一个优先事项。一些国际司法管辖区已经认识到支持这一领域研究的必要性，并确定了研究重点，包括经济合作与发展组织、美国环境保护署、欧盟和英国。该提案概述了一项研究计划，该计划将侧重于评估工程NM一旦释放到水生环境中的命运和影响。此外，研究小组还将评估目前用于评估释放到水生环境中的非物质的生态风险的方法，并就适当的暴露和影响评估方法提出建议。这项研究计划将由位于特伦特大学、渥太华大学和阿尔伯塔大学的多学科学术研究人员小组进行。这项工作的各个方面将得到位于阿尔伯塔埃德蒙顿的NRC国家纳米技术研究所（NINT）、道康宁公司和加拿大环境部的实物捐助和技术支持。

There is potential to apply nanotechnology to almost every sector of industry, including consumer products, agriculture, health care and transportation, as well as bioremediation and water treatment. However, during the manufacture and use of nanomaterials (NMs), they will be released into the environment where they may produce adverse environmental impacts. While nanotechnology has the potential to produce many societal benefits, it should also be a priority to better understand the risks posed to aquatic organisms by NMs released into the environment. Several international jurisdictions have already recognized the need to support research in this area and have identified research priorities, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the European Union, and the U.K. This proposal outlines a research program that will focus on evaluating the fate and effects of engineered NMs once they are released into the aquatic environment. In addition, the research team will evaluate current methods for assessing the ecological risks of NMs released into the aquatic environment and will make recommendations for appropriate methods for exposure and effects assessment. This research program will be conducted by a multidisciplinary group of academic researchers located at Trent University, the University of Ottawa and the University of Alberta. Aspects of this work will be supported through in-kind contributions and technical support from the NRC National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) in Edmonton, Alberta, Dow Corning Corporation and Environment Canada.