Join us in person or via ZOOM
Friday, October 14, 2022, 3:30 pm, B.H. Snell Hall B10L
will speak on:
Development of analytical methods to assess the release and environmental reactivity of nanomaterials
Abstract: The unique properties of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have enabled their increased use for a range of environmental, medicinal, and commercial applications. However, the uncontrolled release of ENMs into the environment (e.g., through human waste repositories) can have detrimental impacts. Beyond direct release of NMs, incidental NMs can form through degradation of bulk materials that are released into the environment. For example, nano- and microscale plastic particles are formed from macroscale sources (e.g., plastic water bottles and plastic bags). To understand the impact of engineered and incidental NMs on human and environmental health, in situ, quantitative analytical tools are needed. However, the analysis of NMs in relevant matrices is complicated by the dynamic physicochemical transformations that NMs undergo in environmental and biological matrices (e.g., dissolution, aggregation, adsorption of small molecules, etc.). This talk will explore the development and application of several in situ analytical techniques, including electrochemistry and capillary electrophoresis, for the analysis of engineered and incidental NMs and their physicochemical transformations in complex matrices.