Environmental Applications and Implications of Nanotechnology

Marti OttoOffice of Superfund Remediation

and Technology InnovationU.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Washington, D.C. 20460

Association of State and TerritorialSolid Waste Management Officials

Annual MeetingBaltimore, MD

October 23, 2008

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Notes

• Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government or any agency thereof.

• Special acknowledgement is given to the staff of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Offices of Air and Radiation; Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances; Research and Development; Solid Waste and Emergency Response; and Water, who supplied information for this presentation.

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• Background• Opportunities and Challenges• USEPA and Nanotechnology• Research• Outreach/Programs

Outline

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Background: Nanotechnology

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Size of a NanometerOne billionth (10-9) of a meter

DNA~2 nm wide

Red blood cellswith white cell

~ 2-5 µm

Fly ash~ 10-20 µm

Atoms of siliconspacing ~tenths of nm

The ultimate goal of nanotechnology is to build essentially anything from

scratch, atom by atom

Nanotechnology is…

1 nm = 10-9 m

The understanding and control of matter at dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications.

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AnthropogenicEngineered• Carbon-basedNanotubes,Fullerenes

• Metal Oxides• Quantum Dots• Nanotubes• Nanowires• Dendrimers

IncidentalParticles from:• Combustion• Industrial Processes

• Vehicles• Construction

Natural

Particles from:• Plants, Trees• Oceans, other

water bodies• Erosion• Dust

Sources of Nanomaterials

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Properties of Nanoscale Materials

• Chemical reactivity of nanoscale materialsmay differ from macroscopic form

• Vastly increased surface area per unit mass, e.g., upwards of 100 m2 per gram

• Quantum size effects result in unique mechanical, electronic, photonic, and magnetic properties of nanoscale materials

• New chemical forms of commonchemical elements, e.g., fullerenes,nanotubes of carbon, titanium oxide www.cnano-rhone-alpes.org/spip.php?article57

p2library.nfesc.navy.mil

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MATERIAL USE

TiO2

Pigments, UV-absorber, catalyst

ZnO Polymer filler, UV-absorberAu, Fe, Ag Remediation, clothing

CeO2 / Ce2O3 Catalyst (cars), fuel additive

ZrO2 Ceramic, catalyst supportQuantum dots CdSe/ZnS/InAs/InP/InGaP

Medical imaging, drug delivery

Uses of Nanomaterials

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• Self-cleaning glass, ceramics, and metals• Stain-free clothing and mattresses • Lighter weight, stronger materials • Automobile bumpers, tennis racquets • More efficient, cheaper catalytic converters on cars• Longer lasting tires and tennis balls • Improved dental-bonding/filling materials• New types of burn and wound dressings • Impermeable materials for food packaging

Consumer Products

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Nanotechnology

Consumer Products Inventory

www.nanotechproject.org/consumerproducts

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Opportunities and Challenges

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Environmental Opportunities

• Pollution prevention• Treatment• Remediation• Sensors/detection• Energy• Other

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Environmental Challenges

• Potential toxicity• Potential exposure• Fate, transport, transformation

– Mobility and persistence– Bioavailability, bioaccumulation

• Critical metric: particle size/number, morphology, surface area, functionalization

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USEPA and Nanotechnology

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EPA’s Interest in Nanotechnology

• Potential for improved environmental protection– Clean up past environmental problems– Improve present processes– Prevent future environmental problems

• Potential to adversely affect human health or the environment

• Potential impacts for regulatory responsibilities• Proactive approach for managing emerging

technologies

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Nanotechnology and USEPA Programs

• Pesticides• Toxic Substances• Air and Radiation• Water• Waste

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Pesticides

• Office of Pesticides Programs (OPP) requires data submissions for pesticide products and conducts risk assessments on environmental, human health and safety data

• OPP focuses on three major types of pesticides: agricultural, antimicrobials, and biopesticides.

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Pesticides, Cont.

• OPP’s current approach is to consider a nanoproduct in a pesticide to be a new pesticide active ingredient; therefore, new data would be required

The nanoproduct would be considered a new active ingredient unless the company showed that the nanosized form is toxicologically similar to the larger form

• OPP will consider nanoproducts on a case-by case basis and will require product-specific data.

• There have been inquiries concerning the process for registering a pesticide that contains nanomaterials; but, OPP has no active cases for registration under consideration

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Toxic Substances

• Many nanoscale materials (NMs) are chemical substances as defined by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

• NMs not on the TSCA Inventory are new chemicals and a Pre-Manufacture Notice (PMN) is required before commencement of manufacture – numerous PMNs have been received in the past 2 years.

• There is presently no similar requirement for NMs that are existing chemicals, i.e. already on the TSCA inventory

• TSCA definition of new chemical based on molecular identity, not on other characteristics

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Toxic Substances, Cont.

• In January 2008, EPA announced a Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to gather and develop information on engineered chemical nanoscale materials.

• The program calls on manufacturers, importers, processors, and users of engineered nanoscale materials to report to EPA key information about these materials within six months (Note that TSCA normally would allow entry into commerce without such notification for existing chemicals)

• EPA will also work with manufacturers, importers, processors and users of nanoscale materials to develop test data to provide a scientific basis for assessing the hazards, exposures, and risks of nanoscale materials.

• The program also encourages the use of risk management practices

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Toxic Substances, Cont.

• "Pollution Prevention through Nanotechnology Conference" – Held September 25-26, 2007 – Was a forum to exchange ideas and information on using

nanotechnology to develop new ways to prevent pollution – Included representatives from industry, academia, non-governmental

organizations, and government – Included three major areas:

• Products: Less toxic, less polluting, and wear-resistant • Processes: More efficient and waste-reducing • Energy and Resource Efficiency: Processes and products that use

less energy and fewer raw materials because of greater efficiency – Featured discussions of nanotechnology life-cycle considerations and

the responsible development of nanotechnology– Details at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/nano/nano-confinfo.htm.

• OPPT is planning to hold a similar conference on an international scale in Fall 2009. The potential scope of the conference includes energy applications, such as solar panels and batteries, as well as lighting, insulation, catalysis, and water treatment and purification.

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Air and Radiation

• Several authorities under the Clean Air Act could be available, depending on the properties and health effects of nanomaterials– The hazardous air pollutant program is source category-

specific.– Several programs under the Act may have coincidental

impacts on the emissions of nanomaterials (e.g., the fine particle ambient air quality standards and emission standards that require the capture and control of emissions of particles, metals, or other substances that may appear in nano form)

– No decision has been made whether EPA ought to address nanomaterials through an ultra-fine particle standard, listing and regulation as toxic air pollutants, or address nanomaterials through some other mechanism.

• The Office of Radiation and Indoor Air is preparing a report on the potential applications of nano-enabled technologies for environmental remediation of sites contaminated with radionuclides

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Water

• Learning more about nanomaterials to judge whether they should be considered emerging contaminants. If that determination were made, the next step would be to develop a risk assessment

• Working with EPA’s Office of Research and Development and other offices on analytical methods to quantify nanomaterials in environmental media

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How Does Nanotechnology Affect the USEPA Waste Programs?

http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/sites/CleanCare?OpenDocument

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• Potential applications include use of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles to clean up source areas of groundwatercontamination

• Contaminants - Chlorinated hydrocarbons- Metals?- Pesticides?

• Over 25 field-scale andfull-scale studies

Application: Nanotechnology forSite Remediation

www.arstechnologies.com

Wei-Xian Zhang, Lehigh University

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Potential Benefits of Iron Nanoparticles

• Small particle size (100-200 nm)• Smaller size makes it more flexible – penetrates

difficult to access areas• High surface area to weight ratio (~30 m2/g)• Highly reactive: readily reduces contaminants• Direct injection into aquifers• Faster cleanups

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Potential Issues

• Potential rebound of contaminants after injection• Iron Passivation• Agglomeration reducing effective distribution• Lack of understanding - abiotic v. biotic degradation• Inability to project particle movement

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How Does NanotechnologyAffect the USEPA Waste

Programs?

• Applications:– Protecting Human Health and the

Environment

• Potential environmental implications:– Toxicity?– Exposure?– Bioaccumulation?– Persistence?– Transformation?

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Risk Assessment: A Life-Cycle Approach

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Nanotechnology Research

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• 2001: NNI created as a federal initiative • 2003: 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act

• The goals of the NNI are to:– Maintain a world-class R&D program to realize the full potential of nano– Facilitate transfer of new technologies into products for economic growth– Develop education, workforce, and infrastructure/ tools to advance nano – Support responsible development of nano

Federal Nanotechnology R&D in the U.S. is coordinated by the NNI

National Nanotechnology Initiative

www.nano.gov

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NanotechnologyEnvironmental, Health, and Safety (EHS)

Research

• US government• Other governments• International organizations

– Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

– International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

• Universities• Private sector• Some states, localities

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EPA Extramural Research onNanotechnology or Nanomaterials

Applications: – Green manufacturing – Contamination remediation– Sensors for environmental

pollutants – Waste treatment

Small Business Innovation Research

Implications• Detection and Monitoring• Environmental and Human Health Effects• Biocompatibility and Toxicity• Life Cycle Approach• Newly formed Centers for the Environmental Implications

of Nanotechnology (CEIN) at Duke University and UCLA

www.sciencejobs.com

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EPA’s NanomaterialResearch Strategy

• Draft research strategy released in February 2008

• Expert external peer meeting was held in April 2008

• Final document expected in 2008

• In the near term, EPA will focus on:

- Environmental fate, transport, transformation

- Exposure

- Monitoring and detection methods

- Effects assessment methods

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Outreach/Programs/Products

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Outreach/Programs/Products

• Superfund fact sheet on nanotechnology for site remediation and information on test sites

http://clu-in.org/542f08009

• Series of Internet Seminars on Nanotechnology and Superfund

http://clu-in.org/training

• Issues area on CLU-IN websitehttp://clu-in.org/nano

• EPA nanotechnology websites– ORD/NCER: http://epa.gov/ncer/nano/index.html– OPPT: http://epa.gov/oppt/nano/– OSWER: http://epa.gov/swerrims/nanotechnology/index.htm

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•EPA ORD Nanomaterial Research Strategy:http://epa.gov/ncer/nano/publications/nano_strategy_012408.pdf

•EPA Nanotechnology White Paper released Feb 15, 2007http://www.epa.gov/OSA/nanotech.htm

•EPA Nanomaterials Stewardship Programwww.epa.gov/oppt/nano/

Outreach/Programs/Products

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Outreach/Programs/Products

• Workshops/Conferences on Environmental Applications and Implications of Nanotechnology– http://www.frtr.gov/nano– http://esc.syrres.com/nanotech/– http://www.epa.gov/OSP/hstl/Nanotech%20Proceedings.pdf– http://www.emsus.com/nanotechconf/

• Coming Soon– EPA nanotechnology web portal– International Conference on Implications and Applications

of Nanotechnology (UMass, Amherst, June 2009)http://www.umass.edu/tei/conferences/nanoconference/index.html

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• Nanotechnology is a very powerful new mixture of disciplines that is changing our industries and our lives

• Applications are currently being developed and implemented, including promising environmental technologies (e.g., innovative applications for waste site remediation)

• More research is needed on potential implications of nanotechnology and nanomaterials

Take-Home Messages

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Marti OttoUSEPA

Office of Superfund Remediationand Technology Innovation

703.603.8853Otto.martha@epa.gov

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