Biodegradability of organic nanoparticles in the aqueous environment
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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In: Chemosphere, Vol. 82, No. 10, 03.2011, p. 1387-1392.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Biodegradability of organic nanoparticles in the aqueous environment
AU - Kümmerer, Klaus
AU - Menz, Jakob
AU - Schubert, Thomas
AU - Thielemans, Wim
N1 - Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2011/3
Y1 - 2011/3
N2 - Synthetic nanoparticles have already been detected in the aquatic environment. Therefore, knowledge on their biodegradability is of utmost importance for risk assessment but such information is currently not available. Therefore, the biodegradability of fullerenes, single, double, multi-walled as well as COOH functionalized carbon nanotubes and cellulose and starch nanocrystals in aqueous environment has been investigated according to OECD standards. The biodegradability of starch and cellulose nanoparticles was also compared with the biodegradability of their macroscopic counterparts. Fullerenes and all carbon nanotubes did not biodegrade at all, while starch and cellulose nanoparticles biodegrade to similar levels as their macroscopic counterparts. However, neither comfortably met the criterion for ready biodegradability (60% after 28 days). The cellulose and starch nanoparticles were also found to degrade faster than their macroscopic counterparts due to their higher surface area. These findings are the first report of biodegradability of organic nanoparticles in the aquatic environment, an important accumulation environment for manmade compounds.
AB - Synthetic nanoparticles have already been detected in the aquatic environment. Therefore, knowledge on their biodegradability is of utmost importance for risk assessment but such information is currently not available. Therefore, the biodegradability of fullerenes, single, double, multi-walled as well as COOH functionalized carbon nanotubes and cellulose and starch nanocrystals in aqueous environment has been investigated according to OECD standards. The biodegradability of starch and cellulose nanoparticles was also compared with the biodegradability of their macroscopic counterparts. Fullerenes and all carbon nanotubes did not biodegrade at all, while starch and cellulose nanoparticles biodegrade to similar levels as their macroscopic counterparts. However, neither comfortably met the criterion for ready biodegradability (60% after 28 days). The cellulose and starch nanoparticles were also found to degrade faster than their macroscopic counterparts due to their higher surface area. These findings are the first report of biodegradability of organic nanoparticles in the aquatic environment, an important accumulation environment for manmade compounds.
KW - Chemistry
KW - Biodegradability
KW - organic nanoparticles
KW - Biodegradability
KW - Cellulose nanowhiskers
KW - Starch nanocrystals
KW - Fullerene
KW - Carbon nanotube
KW - Sustainability Science
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79551682090&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.11.069
DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2010.11.069
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 21195449
VL - 82
SP - 1387
EP - 1392
JO - Chemosphere
JF - Chemosphere
SN - 0045-6535
IS - 10
ER -