Detection, Toxicology, Environmental fate and Risk assessment of nanoparticles in the aquatic environment (DeTER)

Nanotechnology is an emerging technology which has the potential to impact on all aspects of life and the economy, and is expected to form the basis of several technological innovations and advances in the 21st century. Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are intentionally produced, and exhibit unique electrical, magnetic, optical, antimicrobial and other properties. ENMs can be released into various environmental matrices such as soil, sediment, air and water during their production, use and disposal. ENMs pose a potential risk to human health through inadvertent ingestion, inhalation and contact. There is growing concern that ENMs in consumer products can accumulate in environmental matrices. A key gap in knowledge in this area is the lack of information on the concentrations and risk of nanomaterials in the environment, particularly in waters and soils. This project aims to add to current knowledge in this area by developing risk assessment protocols which can be used to evaluate the environmental fate and likely risk from nanoparticles through aquatic pathways. The project will look at risk assessment procedures as applied to ENMs and will use a suite of computer modelling techniques to evaluate the final environmental risk from these novel materials.

The project is based at UCD, (Dublin, Ireland) and is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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Early application advised for this funded PhD position