Potential adverse effects of engineered nanoparticles on biological wastewater treatment processes

纳米技术为创造具有独特物理和化学性能的更好材料和产品提供了新的机会。纳米工程材料已经应用于多达700种商业产品，包括涂料、计算机、服装、化妆品、医疗器械和工业产品的中间材料。 随着纳米技术的爆炸式发展，纳米材料将不可避免地被释放到家庭和工业废物流中，这些废物流利用生物处理过程来吸附和降解污染物。 工程纳米粒子对生物处理过程中发现的密集微生物群落构成了巨大风险，因为一些工程纳米粒子被设计成对微生物产生毒性作用，而另一些则可能意外地充当毒物。因此，这些纳米颗粒可能会降低生物处理过程中污染物去除的有效性，并导致不符合污水排放限制。今天，几乎没有关于制造的纳米颗粒对生物废水处理过程的影响的信息。这项研究计划的总体目标是了解工程纳米颗粒对生物废水处理过程的潜在抗菌作用，包括活性污泥和附着生长过程，特别强调加拿大寒冷气候条件的影响。从这项研究计划中获得的知识将大大提高我们评估和描述纳米颗粒修复，制造，处置和回收的潜在影响的能力，并有助于开辟新的缓解和治疗方法。 研究结果的潜在用户包括水和废水处理公用事业，政府机构，纳米技术行业以及政治家和决策者。

Nanotechnology presents a new opportunity to create better materials and products with unique physical and chemical properties. Nano-engineered materials have found their way into as many as 700 commercial products, including coatings, computers, clothing, cosmetics, medical devices and intermediate materials for industrial products. With this explosion in nanotechnology, it is inevitable that nanomaterials will be released into domestic and industrial waste streams, which utilize biological treatment processes to sorb and degrade pollutants. Engineered nanoparticles pose a great risk to the dense microbial community found in biological treatment processes because some engineered nanoparticles are designed to exert toxic effects on microorganisms while others may unexpectedly act as toxicants. As a result, these nanoparticles could decrease the effectiveness of contaminant removal in biological treatment processes and cause noncompliance with effluent discharge limits. Today, almost no information is available on the impact of manufactured nanoparticles on biological wastewater treatment processes. The overall goal of this research program is to understand the potential antibacterial effect of engineered nanoparticles on biological wastewater treatment processes, including activated sludge and attached growth processes, with particular emphasis on the effects of Canadian cold climate conditions. Knowledge gained from this research program will provide significant improvements in our ability to assess and delineate the potential implications of nanoparticle remediation, manufacture, disposal and recycling, and help to open new approaches to mitigation and treatment. The potential users of the research results include water and wastewater treatment utilities, governmental agencies, nanotechnology industries and politicians and decision makers.