title: Multimedia environmental distribution of engineered nanomaterials.
abstract: A compartmental multimedia model was developed to enable evaluation of the dynamic environmental multimedia mass distribution and concentrations of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). The approach considers the environment as a collection of compartments, linked via fundamental environmental intermedia transport processes. Model simulations for various environmental scenarios indicated that ENM accumulation in the sediment increased significantly with increased ENMs attachment to suspended solids in water. Atmospheric dry and wet depositions can be important pathways for ENMs input to the terrestrial environment in the absence of direct and distributed ENM release to soil. Increased ENM concentration in water due to atmospheric deposition (wet and dry) is expected as direct ENM release to water diminishes. However, for soluble ENMs dissolution can be the dominant pathway for suspended ENM removal from water even compared to advection. Mass accumulation in the multimedia environment for the evaluated ENMs (metal, metal oxides, carbon nanotubes (CNT), nanoclays) was mostly in the soil and sediment. The present modeling approach, as illustrated via different test cases, is suited for "what if" first tier analyses to assess the multimedia mass distribution of ENMs and associated potential exposure concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, California Nanosystems Institute, University of California , Los Angeles, California 90095, United States.
authors.forename: Haoyang Haven
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yoram
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003196:Computer Graphics; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants