Accumulation and transformation of nanomaterials in ecological model organisms investigated by using synchrotron radiation techniques

Abstract

Engineered nanomaterials are promising in many aspects; however, information on the potential risks of the engineered nanomaterials to the ecological system is still limited. With a wide frequency range and high brilliance, SR light sources are tunable, highly polarized, and pulsed. These made SR techniques achieve much improved signal to noise ratio, better spatial and temporal resolution and much reduced acquisition times than those using conventional light sources. In this review, the application of SR techniques to study the accumulation and transformation of engineered nanomaterials is summarized using different model organisms in ecosystems including terrestrial, aquatic and atmospheric systems.