Sediment dwelling creatures at risk from nanoparticles in common household products

Public Release: 13-Aug-2015
Sediment dwelling creatures at risk from nanoparticles in common household products
Researchers from the University of Exeter highlight the risk that engineered nanoparticles released from masonry paint on exterior facades, and consumer products such as zinc oxide cream, could have on aquatic creatures.
University of Exeter

Researchers from the University of Exeter highlight the risk that engineered nanoparticles released from masonry paint on exterior facades, and consumer products such as zinc oxide cream, could have on aquatic creatures.

Textiles, paint, sunscreen, cosmetics and food additives are all increasingly containing metal-based nanoparticles that are engineered, rather than found naturally.

The review, published today in the journal Environmental Chemistry, highlights the risks posed to aquatic organisms when nanoparticles 'transform' on contact with water and as they pass from water to sediment and then into sediment dwelling organisms.

Sediments are important for the health of many aquatic ecosystems and are speculated to be a large potential sink for nanoparticles.

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The study calls for more research into whether 'marine snow' - organic detritus that falls through layers of water - acts as a transport system for nanoparticles and closer examination of bioaccumulation and toxicity in sediment-dwelling species.

The study highlights a large knowledge gap and recommends further research into the factors that determine the fate of nanoparticles in aquatic systems.