Influence of Chelating Ligands for the Aggregation, Dissolution and Bioavailability of Soluble Nanomaterials

由金属和矿物氧化物组成的可溶性纳米颗粒(NPs)是目前广泛用于商业目的的一类纳米材料。尽管它们意义重大，但控制溶解速度的转变还没有被很好地理解。这些纳米粒子的溶解速度可能受到相互连接的反应的影响，包括聚集、沉积和配体的金属络合。通常用于稳定NPs和减少聚集的合成表面涂层也会影响溶解。这些过程中的每一个都会影响NP在环境中的持久性和暴露，并可能以协同或拮抗的方式影响，这些方式决定了随后的反应性、生物利用度和毒性。在这个项目中，PIs试图了解影响NP运输和命运聚集和溶解的两个关键过程如何结合在一起，通过影响金属形态和对目标生物的可用性来调节NPs的持久性和暴露。这项工作将在基础水平上调查由NP暴露引起的溶解、聚集、金属离子络合和摄取的个人和集体效应。特别是，将研究表面活性剂涂层与天然有机配体之间的相互作用。这项工作的结果将通过科学出版物和会议传播。将通过现有的项目向公众进行更广泛的宣传，包括与科学博物馆合作的全国性纳米科学教育倡议，以及针对小学女孩的地方科学和工程教育计划。拟议的工作将直接支持研究生、本科生和高中生研究人员的教育。

Soluble nanoparticles (NPs) of metallic and mineral oxide constituents are a class of nanomaterials now widely produced for commercial purposes. Despite their significance, the transformations controlling dissolution rates are not well understood. Dissolution rates of these NPs are likely to be affected by interlinked reactions including aggregation, deposition, and metal complexation by ligands. Synthetic surface coatings, often used to stabilize NPs and reduce aggregation, will also affect dissolution. Each of these processes will influence NP persistence and exposure in the environment and may do so in synergistic or antagonistic ways that determine subsequent reactivity, bioavailability, and toxicity. In this project the PIs seek to understand how two critical processes affecting NP transport and fate aggregation and dissolution combine to regulate the persistence and exposure of NPs through impacts on metal speciation and availability to target organisms. The work will investigate at a fundamental level the individual and collective effects of dissolution, aggregation, metal ion complexation and uptake resulting from NP exposure. In particular, the interactions between the surfactant coatings and natural organic ligands will be examined.The outcome of this work will be disseminated through scientific publications and conferences. Broader outreach to the public will occur through existing programs including a nationwide nanoscience education initiative with science museums and a local science and engineering education program for elementary school girls. The proposed work will directly support the education of graduate, undergraduate, and high school student researchers.