From Sock to Stream: Environmental Release, Transport, Fate, and Effects of Weathered Silver Nanomaterials From Commercial Products

David Patch, Anbareen Farooq, Devon Gray, Vincent Gagnon, Iris Koch, Kela Weber, Denis O'Carroll

Dans les comptes rendus d’articles de la conférence: GeoNiagara 2021: 74th Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 14th joint with IAH-CNC

ABSTRACT: In the past twelve years there has been a steady increase in the incorporation of metallic nanomaterials into commercial products with manufacturers seeking to take advantage of the unique properties these nanomaterials exhibit. Silver nanomaterials hold one of the largest market shares of nanomaterial-containing products for their use in textiles, food packaging materials, medical devices, and surface coatings. Active use of these products can result in the release of weathered silver nanomaterials into the environment with a potential for impacts. Research studies into impact and treatment of nanomaterial-contaminated waters currently use pristine spherical nanomaterials, which fail to represent materials that are realistically released into environmental systems. An NSERC strategic partnership grant (SPG) project was funded with partners from industry, government, and international organisations to examine the practicality of generating and using realistic nanoparticles in environmental transport, fate, and effects studies. First, a simulated human weathering of commercial products method was developed and validated against human experiments. This allowed for in-depth characterization and large-scale generation of the released weathered nanomaterials. Second, the transport and fate of these weathered nanomaterials were investigated in subsurface, terrestrial and wetland systems. Finally, the use of constructed wetlands was investigated for their ability for long term sequestering of weathered silver nanomaterials. The conclusion of this research identified that environmentally relevant weathered silver nanomaterials are characteristically different than those commonly studied, and the incorporation of these materials is a necessity for proper investigation into realistic fate, transport and effects in environmental systems. It was also determined that both soils and wetlands can be effective at sequestering weathered silver nanomaterials, with no short-term detrimental effects. This research allowed for the development of a commercial product screening technique to be used to identify the contaminant release potential of imported products, as well as the development of a water treatment technology capable of effective removal of nanomaterials and other emerging contaminants.

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