title: Photocatalytic effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on aquatic organisms-Current knowledge and suggestions for future research.
abstract: Nanoparticles are entering natural systems through product usage, industrial waste and post-consumer material degradation. As the production of nanoparticles is expected to increase in the next decade, so too are predicted environmental loads. Engineered metal-oxide nanomaterials, such as titanium dioxide, are known for their photocatalytic capabilities. When these nanoparticles are exposed to ultraviolet radiation in the environment, however, they can produce radicals that are harmful to aquatic organisms. There have been a number of studies that have reported the toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the absence of light. An increasing number of studies are assessing the interactive effects of nanoparticles and ultraviolet light. However, most of these studies neglect environmentally-relevant experimental conditions. For example, researchers are using nanoparticle concentrations and light intensities that are too high for natural systems, and are ignoring water constituents that can alter the light field. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge of the photocatalytic effects of TiO2nanoparticles on aquatic organisms, discuss the limitations of these studies, and outline environmentally-relevant factors that need to be considered in future experiments.
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, United States. Electronic address: vena.haynes@uconn.edu.
authors.forename: Vena N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, United States. Electronic address: evan.ward@uconn.edu.
authors.forename: J Evan
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, United States. Electronic address: brandon.russell@uconn.edu.
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 261 Glenbrook Road Unit 3037, Storrs, CT 06269, United States. Electronic address: agrios@engr.uconn.edu.
authors.forename: Alexander G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Agrios
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002384:Catalysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D012106:Research; D014025:Titanium / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium
keywords: Aquatic organisms; Nanoparticles; Photocatalytic; Titanium dioxide; UV