| Objective: | Assess how nanoparticles move through aquatic/terrestrial environments and how they affect flora and fauna.
| Description: | As weapons containing nanoparticle-based materials are being developed, it is imperative that the DOD understands the effects of releasing these particles into the environment. Given recent controversy over weapon constituents like lead and perchlorates, the DOD is under closer scrutiny to develop munitions that have a lesser likelihood of causing harm to the environment. Such knowledge is important to allow for the development of pollution prevention or environmental mitigation measures once nanoparticle constituents are weaponized and released. Nanoparticles/nanomaterials represent the ?cutting edge? of materials research. Their market is fast approaching the $1 billion dollar mark in the US alone. There are several military and commercial applications for nanoparticles, which underlines the urgent need to characterize their behavior in the environment: Automotive catalyst supports, biodiagnostics, chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) slurries for silicon wafer polishing, magnetic recording tapes, optical fibers, sunscreens, photocatalysts, orthopedic products, optical devices, enhanced LCD screens, polymer composites, batteries, solar cells etc. We propose that an academic entity devise an innovative and creative approach to determine the influence of nanoparticles from an ecological perspective. Phase I efforts would include: characterizing the behavior of nanoparticles when released in different atmospheric conditions (excess heat, humidity, precipitation, etc.), performing soil mobility tests to ascertain if nanoparticles remain stationary or quickly move through the soil column, and evaluating any chemical change in the nanoparticle that would enhance or decrease its bioavailability. Aquatic tests would evaluate what characteristic changes nanoparticles go through due to pH and if they settle or stay suspended in a water column. Subsequent analysis would evaluate the pervasiveness of the nanoparticles in the food web. This research effort would evaluate nanoparticle uptake into terrestrial and aquatic flora and would also include bioassays on terrestrial and aquatic fauna. An assessment of lower organisms would be used to predict the bioaccumulation potential of these particles. The results of such experimentation would be delivered in the form of a technical report.
| | PHASE I: A research effort characterizing the following: behavior of nanoparticles when released in different atmospheric conditions (excess heat, humidity, precipitation, etc.), soil mobility test to see if nanoparticles remain stationary or quickly move through the soil column, investigation of any nanoparticle chemical changes that would enhance or decrease bioavailability, and aquatic tests to evaluate what characteristic changes particles go through due to pH and if they settle or stay suspended in a water column.
| | | PHASE II: An evaluation of the pervasiveness of nanoparticles in the food web. This research would evaluate material uptake into terrestrial and aquatic plants and would include bioassays on terrestrial and aquatic fauna. The bioaccumulation potential of nanoparticles will also be assessed.
| | DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: Nanoparticles/nanomaterials represent the “cutting edge” of materials research. Their market is fast approaching the $1 billion dollar mark in the US alone. There are several military and non-military applications for nanoparticles, which underlines the urgent need to characterize their behavior in the environment:
Automotive catalyst supports, biodiagnostics, chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) slurries for silicon wafer polishing, magnetic recording tapes, optical fibers, sunscreens, photocatalysts, orthopedic products, optical devices, enhanced LCD screens, polymer composites, etc.
| References: | 1. Marla, Krishna T.; Meredith, James C., “Modeling Self-Assembly of Nanoparticle Structures: Simulation of Nanoparticle Chemical Potentials in Polymer-Nanoparticle Mixtures,” GEORGIA INST OF TECH ATLANTA SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Report Number: N00014-95-1-1116 (2003) -AD Number: ADP014265
2. Perrey, Christopher R.; Thompson, Ryan; Carter, C. B.; Gidwani, Ashok, “Characterization of Nanoparticle Films and Structures Produced by Hypersonic Plasma Particle Deposition,” MINNESOTA UNIV MINNEAPOLIS DEPT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings Volume 740 (2002) - AD Number: ADP014256
3. Sledge, George, “Nanoparticle: Monoclonal Antibody Conjugates: A Novel Drug Delivery System in Human Breast Cancer,” INDIANA UNIV INDIANAPOLIS, (2000) - AD Number: ADA389883
4. Riffle, Judy S., “SEEDLING Proposal to Establish Pilot Data for a Consortium on Magnetic Nanoparticle Assemblies: A New Tool for Drug Delivery, Sensors and Electronic Devices,” VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND STATE UNIV BLACKSBURG DEPT OF CHEMISTRY, Report Number: TR-30971 (2003) -AD Number: ADA418026
5. Sandrack, Marie L.; El-Kouedi, Mahnaz; Gluodenis, Maryann; Foss, Colby A., Jr, “Optical Properties of Nanoparticle Pair Structures,” GEORGETOWN UNIV WASHINGTON DC DEPT OF CHEMISTRY (2001) - AD Number: ADP011013
| | Keywords: | Nanoparticles, nanomaterials, environment, nanoparticle bioaccumulation, nanoparticle mobility, nanoparticle toxicity |