Nanoparticles (NPs) are generally defined as particles <100 nanometers (nm) in size in one dimension. Despite increasing industrial usage of TiO2 NPs in sunscreens, cosmetics, and water remediation little is known of their environmental behavior. The primary goal of this research was to develop a rapid method for determining the...
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Bryan Harper, Committee Member, representing Department of Environmental and
Molecular
Nanotechnology products have long since made their way to markets around the world increasing the concerns about whether nanomaterials pose a risk to our environment or health. It has been suggested that engineered nanomaterial (ENM) with broad applications and rapid commercialization need better risk assessment and regulation. However, the refinement...
Nanoscale polymers (including nanoplastics) are widely present through commerce and make their way into the environment. As the improper disposal of plastic waste leads to continued accumulation and degradation of plastic pollution, the presence of plastic particles less than 1 micron (μm) in size (nanoplastics) will increase. Heightened concern over...
Nanotechnologies continue to permeate a multitude of industries, with diverse applications ranging from pesticides to fuel additives. The unusual behavior of nanomaterials that drives their innovation also complicates the job of toxicologists tasked with assessing their potential environmental and public health impacts. This dissertation investigates the underlying reasons for uncertainty...
Numerous studies have shown that some nanomaterials are highly toxic to aquatic organisms and can potentially disrupt overall community health; however, current methods to evaluate the nanomaterials environmental impacts rarely consider the environmental realism or provide sufficient detail on the impact at the community level. Here we demonstrate three approaches...
Nanoparticles (NPs), defined by their size (1-100 nm), are increasingly incorporated into commercial and industrial products due to their high surface area and unique properties. They can be designed for specific applications by manipulating composition, size, shape, and surface functionalization. As NP production and complexity increases, there is a need...
The low risk and sustainable implementation of nanotechnology requires understanding how nanomaterial physicochemical properties influence their toxicity. Major drivers of toxicity need to be avoided while maximizing product efficacy so nanomaterials can be produced to best serve their applications and be of low risk when intentionally or unintentionally released into...
The ability of nanoparticles (NPs) to induce oxidative stress on organisms has been linked to NP cytotoxicity and genotoxicity for a variety of organisms. One proposed mechanism of this increased oxidative stress is the ability of NPs to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Due to the dynamic nature and small...
Zero valent iron nanoparticles effectively remediate groundwater contaminants due to their catalytic properties and enhanced surface area. However, these properties contribute to particle agglomeration, decreasing their effectiveness. In this study, we examined the effect of two stabilizing agents (gum arabic (GA) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)) on particle stability, toxicity,...
The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is tightly regulated in biological systems as overproduction can lead to oxidative stress and result in a number of diseases. Due to its negative effects, antioxidants are studied and used against ROS in medicine, pharmaceuticals and therapeutics. Because of issues with the uptake...
Within the past two decades, the rise of nanotechnology has provided various technological and industrial sectors with avenues for significant growth and improvements to existing practices. With the inherent qualities which make materials on the nanoscale unique in behavior and function, there are limitless applications of nanotechnology. One of the...
Characterizing the hydrophobicity of nanoparticles can help us understand their fate and transport in the environment, as well as how nanoparticles may interact with biological systems. However, contact angle and partition coefficient have limitations in measuring the hydrophobicity of nanoparticles, thus promising methods to measuring the hydrophobicity of nanoparticles are...