Development of Environmental Fate Models for Engineered Nanoparticles—A Case Study of TiO2Nanoparticles in the Rhine River

Abstract

For a proactive risk assessment of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) it is imperative to derive predicted environmental concentration (PEC) values for ENPs in different environmental compartments; PECs can then be compared to effect thresholds. From the basis of established multimedia environmental fate models for organic pollutants, we develop a new concept of environmental fate modeling for ENPs with process descriptions based on the specific properties of ENPs. Our new fate modeling framework is highly flexible and can be adjusted to different ENPs and various environmental settings. As a first case study, the fate and transport of TiO₂ NPs in the Rhine River is investigated. Predicted TiO₂ NP concentrations lie in the ng/L range in the water compartment and mg/kg in the sediment, which represents the main reservoir for the nanoparticles. We also find that a significant downstream transport of ENPs is possible. A fundamental process, the heteroaggregation between TiO₂ NPs and suspended particulate matter (SPM), is analyzed in more detail. Our modeling results demonstrate the importance of both the SPM properties (concentration, size, density) as well as the affinity of TiO₂ NPs and SPM, characterized by the attachment efficiency, α_het-agg, on the transport potential of ENPs in a surface water system.