CAREER: Development of traceable metal oxide nanoparticles for examining environmental transport and fate

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

CBET - 1255020 Intellectual merit: Many challenges face the emerging field of nanotechnology. Engineers, scientists and policy makers must balance the promise of beneficial nano-enabled products and applications with the potential negative impacts resulting from the release of these novel materials into the environment. The ability to detect, quantify and track engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in the environment is a key to understanding the environmental implications of these materials. At present, there is a lack of suitable methods for detecting ENPs in environmental matrices. For some classes of nanomaterials such as metal oxides, a major challenge is simply distinguishing between ENPs and the natural background concentration of the element(s) in question. Given this challenge, the PI hypothesizes that labeling ENPs with elements of low background concentration will facilitate their sensitive and unambiguous detection in the environment. This hypothesis will be tested through the completion of three tasks: (1) synthesis of labeled ENPs using doping and/or core/shell techniques; (2) characterization of labeled ENP physicochemical properties and comparison with unlabeled ENPs; and (3) spike and recovery of labeled ENPs from representative environmental matrices using ICP-MS and Instrument Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), an analytical technique with high sensitivity and low susceptibility to matrix effects. The complex, multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary challenges facing the emerging field of nanotechnology environmental health and safety also highlight the need for a workforce of scientists and engineers with excellent critical thinking skills and a firm grasp of the scientific method. There is a need for innovative teaching methods that focus on this type of development. Integrated with the proposed research, the PI will develop, implement and assess a novel virtual laboratory pedagogy for environmental engineers focused on ENP removal from water. The industrially-situated, problem-based instructional design centered on the iterative process of designing experiments, running virtual trials, and analyzing data will facilitate the development of key skills and knowledge. Broader Impact: This research will result in the development of a unique method to detect and quantify ENPs in environmental matrices. This work is transformative because it results in a tool that will enable the work of many others studying environmental transport, fate, toxicity, modeling and risk assessment of ENPs. The larger body of work made possible by the project, both by the PI and by many others, will likely facilitate the establishment of real science-based regulations for the safe handling of ENPs. The development of a virtual laboratory for environmental engineers has tremendous potential to improve environmental engineering education both at OSU and at institutions across the country. Appropriately balancing the benefits of nanotechnology with the risks to the environment is a key challenge and preparing engineers for these types of open-ended and ambiguous tasks is critical for success. The work proposed here integrates fundamental scientific inquiry and novel tool development with the development of novel pedagogy for training tomorrow's engineers. The proposed virtual laboratory will expose students to the emerging field of nanotechnology environmental health and safety while developing the the broad and universal skills, knowledge and expertise necessary to tackle these emerging challenges. Other broader impacts include the formation of human capital through the education of at least two graduate students in nanomaterial synthesis, characterization, and presence/behavior in the environment. In addition, the PI will strengthen the educational experience at all levels in the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering at OSU through 1) the incorporation of research findings into undergraduate and graduate courses and 2) providing research experiences for high school and undergraduate students through established programs at OSU (Johnson Scholars, ASE and SESEY). These students will become an integral part of the research team on the work in question. Results of the experimental and educational research will be disseminated at national and international conferences and top journals in the field of environmental engineering and engineering education will be targeted for wide publication. The developed virtual laboratory pedagogy will be made available for use by other engineering institutions in the U.S. and abroad.