Tracing of engineered metal and oxide nanoparticles in soil and earthworms using neutron activation

ENVR 96

Erik J. Joner, Erik.Joner@bioforsk.no1, Turid Hertell-Aas2, Eva Pellicer3, Ernest Mendoza, ernest.mendoza.uab@icn.es3, and Deborah H. Oughton2. (1) Soil and Environment Division, Bioforsk, Fredrik Dahls vei 20, N-1432 Aas, Norway, (2) Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O.Box 5003, N-1432 Aas, Norway, (3) Catalan Institute for Nanotachnology, UAB Campus, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
Research on environmental impact of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is hampered by a lack of tools to trace particle movement and transfer, particularly in soils/sediments. We have developed and implemented a method for labeling metal and oxide ENPs using neutron activation that is useful in this respect. Neutron activation implies irradiation of ENPs and the formation of radioactive isotopes within the irradiated ENPs. ENPs can, thus, be traced and quantified by scintillation counting. Organisms may also be subjected to autoradiographical imaging, permitting localization of ENPs within tissues or organs. This presentation describes the prerequisites for neutron activation and the facility of using the resulting ENPs in laboratory experiments. It also presents results on uptake, metabolism and sequestration of ENPs from experiments with earthworms subjected to ENP uptake in a feeding experiment with cobalt nanoparticles. Results on binding of ENPs in soil organic matter and clay will also be presented.
 

Environmental Behavior and Fate of Manufactured Nanomaterials
8:30 AM-12:15 PM, Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 235, Oral

Division of Environmental Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008