NANOHETER – HETERoaggregation of manufactured NANOparticles with naturally occurring colloids in surface waters
As part of the risk assessment of nanotechnology, the ERA-Net SIINN project NANOHETER deals with the exposure aspect of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), focusing on their fate in surface water. Based on the trace concentrations expected to be present, the approach claims that the dispersion stability of engineered nanoparticles in the water column is not a driving characteristic for their fate, but that their potential for interaction with the mineral and organic suspended matter occurring in surface water will be the governing factor. The aim of this project is to identify among these materials the potential carriers for engineered nanoparticles. Mechanistic, holistic and model approaches will be conducted together. The interaction of engineered nanoparticles with surrounding materials will be investigated, and the potentially induced heteroaggregation and/or sedimentation mechanisms will be studied. The goal is to deliver a probability ranking of these potential scenarios that can be used to model the fate of engineered nanoparticles in natural aqueous systems at the river scale.en.
