Themed collection Recent Open Access Articles

Here we discuss the potential of engineered nanoparticles to act as agents affecting the immune status in different environmentally relevant species, with a focus on the emerging experimental models launched by the EU Horizon 2020 project PANDORA.

Nanorobots for biomedical applications have experienced extensive research and rapid development during the last decade, up to a point where they can now deliver cargos to designated sites in organisms under laboratory conditions.

Heteroaggregation of engineered nanoparticles with suspended particulate matter in theory and practice: a roadmap for understanding and determining attachment efficiencies.

An overall structure of this review.

A systematic review of the use of single particle ICP-MS to analyse engineered nanomaterials in biological samples has highlighted that efforts have focused on a select few compositions and there is a lack of information for some important tissues.

The toxicity and ecotoxicity effects, handling and disposal of synthetic amorphous silica nanoparticles and aerogels are reviewed and discussed.

A critical review which delves into the advantages of the use of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) in nano-based cancer therapy, which includes its more positive environmental impact compared to previous systems.

Despite the diverse structures and functions of the gut barrier in the animal kingdom, some common features of gut lumen chemistry control the behaviour of engineered nanomaterials, and with some potentially novel uptake pathways in invertebrates.

Metabolites present in the corona may play a key role in biological recognition of nanomaterials yet remain a much-overlooked aspect of the corona.

Aramid amphiphiles with chelating head groups spontaneously form robust nanoribbons in water with surfaces capable of heavy metal remediation.

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPLs) are intentionally produced for commercial uses (primary MNPLs) or are formed from environmentally aged plastics (secondary MNPLs).

Life cycle assessment can help quantify the environmental impacts of products embedding nanoparticles. Furthermore, it can support the evaluation of absolute environmental sustainability by employing carrying-capacity normalization factors.

Multi-elemental spICP-TOFMS is used to simultaneously classify mixtures of engineered, incidental, and natural Ce-containing nanoparticles based on conserved Ce : La and Ce : Nd ratios in natural Ce particles.

The combination of advanced spectroscopic and microscopic methods used in this work enables molecular and atomic levels understanding of the Pu(IV) nanoparticles formation under acidic conditions (pH 1–4).

Candle soot nanoparticles deposited onto hydrophilic cellulose foam greatly improved the solar-powered steam generation and yield of freshwater, resulting in the production of low-cost potable water from brackish input water.

Integrated approaches to testing and assessment (IATA) provide a framework for combining different information (experimental or in silico) for hazard characterization of chemicals, including nanomaterials (NM), based on a weight of evidence approach.

Anaerobic nitrate-dependent iron(II) oxidation is a process common to many bacterial species, which promotes the formation of Fe(III) minerals that can influence the fate of soil and groundwater pollutants, such as arsenic.

This meta-analysis identifies linkages between the tiers in the bioaccumulation testing strategy.

Toxic differences between antibacterial silver (either ionic Ag⁺ and nanoparticle – AgNPs) were related to the microbial metabolism of enriched organic matter in the gut.

Goethite nanoparticles attached to sand grains in column reactors increase grown in length when exposed to ferrous iron and 4-chloronitrobenzene.

High throughput imaging is used to assess hatching, lethality and malformations in zebrafish embryos and is suitable for hazard ranking of different nanomaterials.

Raman tweezers allow us to trap and analyze nanoparticles generated during tire abrasion and brake pad friction.

Microbial response to copper oxide nanoparticles in soils is controlled by land use rather than copper fate.

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) aggregation in cosmetics can lower their UV protection efficacy and affect their subsequent environmental impact. In situ ENMs aggregation state can be easily evaluated using 2D X-rays absorption spectroscopy.

We designed nanoparticles able to protect the elicitor on the leaves of grapevines over long periods of time. The foliar application of this nanoelicitor produced wines with high content of stilbenes at significantly reduced dosages.

Conservative engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) that resist transformation during wastewater treatment and sludge incineration can be released from sewage sludge ash. Transient ENPs that undergo transformation are retained in the sewage sludge ash.

How to use chemical triggers and invertebrate tests in the lower tiers of a bioaccumulation testing strategy.

Gold nanostars (AuNSt) amalgamated with mercury ions (Hg²⁺) results in reduced SERS performance whilst their enzyme-mimicking capability is not deteriorated, thus providing a basis for Hg²⁺ detection with inverse sensitivity.

Silver (Ag) nanomaterials (NMs) are used in many products, reaching the environment at some life stage. Their impact assessed via toxicokinetics differed between Ag salt and nano forms and also with soil aging.

The dynamic interplay between toxicity pathways (oxidative stress, calcium disturbances, genetic damage) caused by nanoparticles and the repair mechanisms of inhibition of cell division and induction of cell death is explored in zebrafish embryo cells.

Laser desorption ionization Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry for direct molecular characterization of nanoparticle coronas.

The dietary bioaccumulation potential of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) remains poorly understood.

A novel off-lattice three-dimensional coarse-grained Monte Carlo model is developed to study engineered nanoparticle (ENP) behavior in porous media.

A combined experimental and theoretical approach to obtain the attachment efficiency (α) of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) for heterogeneous natural soils from short, saturated packed columns was investigated and optimized.

Environmental transformations modify the physicochemical properties of ZnO NPs, modulate their ability to reduce zinc ions, and determine the degree of toxicity reduction in zebrafish embryos.

The combination of nanoplastic metal doping and biodynamic modeling allows for accurate assessment of bioaccumulation and effects on Gammarus pulex, even in a complex environmental matrix such as sediment.

Following exposure to a diet containing a control (no added Ag), AgNO₃, Ag NPs or Ag₂S NPs, Ag-containing particles were found in organs of all treatments, with the highest concentrations following exposure to AgNO₃ or Ag NP.

Sub-micron aerosol filtration of non-woven materials and fabric treatments were investigated. Select low-cost, readily available and easily cut non-woven materials were identified as suitable filter inserts for cloth-based masks.

Exposure of Prochlorococcus cultures to research-grade and extracted nano-sized TiO₂ at environmentally-relevant and supra-environmental concentrations (1 μg L⁻¹ to 100 mg L⁻¹) results in initial cell decline, followed by full population recovery.

High-throughput single-particle ICP-TOFMS analyses are used to quantify and classify diverse metal nanoparticle types from wastewater treatment plant samples.

With the increased hospital-acquired infections caused by bio-contaminated surfaces, the requirement for a safer and more efficient antibacterial strategy in designing personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators is rising with urgency.

Acute exposure of A549 cells to Ag-NPs induces stronger effects on DNA integrity, ROS level, cell metabolism and cell cycle than repeated exposure. Ag-NPs dissolves in both exposure conditions and Ag ions recombine with thiolated proteins.

Easy method to count and size plastic nanoparticles in water. A combination of sensitive fluorescence video microscopy, NileRed staining of plastic particles, and single particle tracking allows for counting and sizing nanoplastics.

This work aims to establish a production and characterization protocol for fluorescent plastic nanoparticles of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) that can be tracked in biological environments.

The environmental impact of graphene oxide was evaluated on the model organism Artemia franciscana for ecotoxicological studies considering different biological parameters.

Global transcriptomics uncovered key molecular processes impacted by subtoxic dose of lithium cobalt oxide nanoparticles, indicating cellular attempts to restore energy and oxygen balance.

In the presence of sulfide, organic matter influences iron mineral transformation pathways and kinetics.

Growth of naturally occurring CdS nanoparticles is constrained by natural organic matter (NOM), which also limits the reduction of CdS colloidal stability by Mn²⁺ and prevents incorporation of Mn into the CdS crystal lattice.

Secreted corona composition of Ag and TiO₂ NMs, evaluated after 7 days of continuous exposure to daphnids, provides important insights into the biological pathways perturbed by the NMs.

TiO₂-NPs reduce the growth of coastal microalgae in environmentally relevant conditions, and alter sediment biostabilisation, primary production and nutrient recycling. These effects vary between environmental contexts (seasons).

This study explored the potential of ceria nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs) to alleviate stress in hydroponic rice caused by low N (LN) and high N (HN) stresses.

Ag bioaccumulation upon exposure to pristine Ag NPs is of bigger concern in acidic sandy soils, but not in case of the environmentally relevant sulfidized Ag NPs, which do not bioaccumulate in P. scaber or F. candida.

Polystyrene nanoplastics are internalized in zebrafish liver cells, accumulating in lysosomes, and in zebrafish larvae but do not affect the larval suvival to a lethal infection.

This study used stable isotope-labeled copper oxide nanoparticles (⁶⁵CuO NPs) to determine their trophic transfer potential from sediment to worms to fish at environmentally realistic exposure doses and compared to dissolved Cu (⁶⁵CuCl₂).

Microorganisms such as Stenotrophomonas bentonitica could influence the safety of the deep geological repository system by producing nanoparticles and volatile compounds of selenium.

An allergen–nanoparticle interaction study was performed using hAELVi cells grown under submerged vs. air–liquid interface culture conditions. Choice of cellular models showed impact on the investigation of uptake kinetics and inflammatory responses.

At equal cumulated dose, a chronic exposure to silver nanoparticles produces more effects on macrophages than an acute exposure.

Weathering and fragmentation of polymer nanocomposites.

The pH in the anterior gut of Daphnia magna is more than 2 pH units lower than the cultural medium.

Upon exposure to non-toxic concentration of silver nanoparticles, only the ionic form of silver is found in the nucleus leading to an endocrine disruptor-like effect.

Aggregated small nanoplastics are still toxic whereas solid nanoplastics with the same size as the aggregates are not.

This paper revealed that the changes in the protein conformation and the dissolution of silver nanoparticles depended on the protein structure and could result in different degrees of enzymatic activity modulation.

An electrospun nanofibrous adsorbent with micro-, meso- and macropores and surface area of 565 m² g⁻¹ was developed for the rapid removal of crude oil from seawater.

Natural organic matter (NOM) impedes the growth of colloidally stable Cu_xS nanoparticles and slows down their morphological development, but also drives their oxidative dissolution.

Pristine engineered nanomaterials (NMs) entering the aquatic environment become ‘aged’ during their lifetime via chemical, physical and/or biological process.

The elucidation of bioavailability, uptake and elimination as well as accumulation of the test items was possible on the level of total and particle concentrations for the whole soft body as well as the single tissue compartments.