Title: Environmental impact assessment for nanotechnologies: integrating the ecological and the chemical perspective

Authors: Juliane Filser; Jan Köser

Addresses: Department of General and Theoretical Ecology, UFT – Centre for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse, D-28359 Bremen, Germany ' Department of Sustainable Chemistry, UFT – Centre for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse, D-28359 Bremen, Germany

Abstract: The development and application of products containing engineered nanoparticles (ENP) has dramatically increased over the past decade, whereas the assessment of potential hazards to humans and especially to the environment substantially falls behind. The UFT Centre for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology at the University of Bremen focuses on environmentally benign nanomaterials. Here we present some results from two ongoing large project networks. Using examples from ecotoxicological tests and numerical speciation we demonstrate the necessity of interdisciplinary cooperation for the hazard assessment of silver nanoparticles.

Keywords: engineered nanoparticles; ENP; environmental hazard assessment; benign nanomaterials; silver nanoparticles; numerical speciation; ecotoxicological tests; green algae; soil bacteria; silver chloride; redox equilibrium; extended test duration; sustainable nanotechnology; silver speciation; environmental impact assessment; EIA; ecological perspective; chemical perspective; risk assessment.

DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2014.062386

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.11 No.1, pp.1 - 13

Received: 16 Jul 2013
Accepted: 31 Jan 2014
Published online: 05 Jul 2014 *

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