Eco-Interactions of Engineered Nanomaterials in the Marine Environment: Towards an Eco-Design Framework

Abstract

Marine nano-ecotoxicology has emerged with the purpose to assess the environmental risks associated with engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) among contaminants of emerging concerns entering the marine environment. ENMs’ massive production and integration in everyday life applications, associated with their peculiar physical chemical features, including high biological reactivity, have imposed a pressing need to shed light on risk for humans and the environment. Environmental safety assessment, known as ecosafety, has thus become mandatory with the perspective to develop a more holistic exposure scenario and understand biological effects. Here, we review the current knowledge on behavior and impact of ENMs which end up in the marine environment. A focus on titanium dioxide (n-TiO2) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), among metal-based ENMs massively used in commercial products, and polymeric NPs as polystyrene (PS), largely adopted as proxy for nanoplastics, is made. ENMs eco-interactions with chemical molecules including (bio)natural ones and anthropogenic pollutants, forming eco- and bio-coronas and link with their uptake and toxicity in marine organisms are discussed. An ecologically based design strategy (eco-design) is proposed to support the development of new ENMs, including those for environmental applications (e.g., nanoremediation), by balancing their effectiveness with no associated risk for marine organisms and humans.

Digital Eco-Design and Life Cycle Assessment—Key Elements in a Circular Economy: A Case Study of a Conventional Desk

“…The proposed methodology allows for the eco-design of products based on the LCA methodology but in a more simplified and direct manner. Compared to other eco-design methodologies that apply a complete LCA [25,27,28], the proposed methodology focuses on providing a simplified life cycle inventory, which, however, includes all phases of product life-the extraction of raw materials, transport, manufacturing processes, and waste treatment at the end of its useful life. In this way, once the materials, processes, transport, and waste treatment that can be used in the design have been established, the designer is free to propose alternatives in a simple and smooth way, without having to rely on an LCA specialist.…”

“…The product was validated through a life cycle assessment, which showed a lower environmental impact due to the raw material used in its manufacturing. Corsi et al [27] reviewed the marine environmental impact that engineered nanomaterials can cause. In addition, they proposed an eco-design strategy for the development of new engineered nanomaterials.…”

Building the Bridge From Aquatic Nanotoxicology to Safety by Design Silver Nanoparticles

“…The interplay of either bare AgNPs and/or Ag-based nano-enabled products (NEPs) with physico-chemical and biological variables of the receiving water bodies (e.g. pH, temperature, and natural organic matter) will dictate the key transformation processes which NPs undergo such as, for instance, homo/heteroaggregation, agglomeration, ions dissolution, and complexation, which will affect exposure concentration scenarios, bioavailability, and ecotoxicity ( Baalousha et al, 2018 ; Corsi et al, 2020 ; Corsi et al, 2021 ). This is true for the majority of ENM/Ps, and in the case of silver, dissolution is still considered a main driver of aquatic ecotoxicity of AgNPs ( Petosa et al, 2010 ; Dong et al, 2017 ).…”

“…Nano-ecotoxicology has made several progresses in the last years by identifying those factors able to cause changes in ENM/Ps and NP peculiar properties when released in the aquatic environment ( Maurer-Jones et al, 2013 ; Lazareva and Keller, 2014 ; Corsi et al, 2021 ). Preliminary findings have unraveled various exposure scenarios according to the peculiar properties of the receiving water media (freshwater, brackish, or saline) which has now become a requirement for ecological risk assessment and for conducting standardized protocols for ecotoxicity testing ( OECD, 2020a ).…”

“…Several progresses have been made in the last years towards the definition of successful strategies aiming to assess the nano(eco)safety of ENM/Ps as demonstrated by a number of publications and projects addressing “nanosafety” either for humans and the environment ( Corsi et al, 2014 , Corsi et al, 2021 ; Hjorth et al, 2017 ; Joint Research Centre European Commission, 2017 ; Lin et al, 2018 ; Chen et al, 2020 ). At the European level, the most recent “Safe and Sustainable-by-Design” (SSbD) intended as “a systems approach by integrating safety, circularity, and functionality of advanced materials, products, and processes throughout their life cycle” has been proposed with the aim to reduce any potential hazard posed by ENMs from their synthesis, production, application, and final release into the environment following the fundamental and well-developed framework of environmental risk assessment adopted for legacy pollutants ( Gottardo et al, 2021 ).…”