Engineering at the Interface: Integrating Laboratory Research and Modeling to Assess Nanosilver Risk

The global market for nanotechnology is estimated to have reached $15.7 billion in 2010 and is expected to grow to approximately $26.7 billion by 2015. Nanosilver, which is used as an additive in many products (e.g., plastics, textiles) because of its antibacterial properties, is the most widely advertised nanomaterial in consumer goods. Understanding the fate and transport of nanosilver is environmentally important because nanosilver and the silver ion released during dissolution are known to be toxic to a wide range of aquatic invertebrates, fish, and estuarine organisms. As recipients of the Nanotechnology, Environmental Effects, and Policy (NEEP) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) fellowship, we work at the interface of environmental science and risk assessment in order to advance the understanding of nanoparticle movement in the environment, nanoparticle interactions with organisms, the mechanisms by which nanoparticles exert their influence, and their potential environmental impacts. Our goal with this project is to develop a model describing how nanosilver is transported and transforms once released to the environment. This cross-disciplinary work integrates laboratory research on the behavior of nanosilver and transformed silver species in the environment with a computational/mathematical approach to modeling and risk forecasting. Our preliminary work highlights the value of developing the model as part of a larger risk assessment framework. Using this approach, we hope to advance not only our knowledge of nanoparticles in the environment but also our understanding of how best to avoid their potential negative consequences.