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He Y, Al-Abed SR, Potter PM, Dionysiou DD. Rapid and versatile pre-treatment for quantification of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the environment using microwave-induced heating. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:13999-14012. [PMID: 30737716 PMCID: PMC7362341 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04229-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The concerns regarding potential environmental release and ecological risks of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) rise with their increased production and use. As a result, there is the need for an analytical method to determine the environmental concentration of MWCNTs. Although several methods have been demonstrated for the quantification of well-characterized MWCNTs, applying these methods to field samples is still a challenge due to interferences from unknown characteristics of MWCNTs and environmental media. To bridge this gap, a recently developed microwave-induced heating method was investigated for the quantification of MWCNTs in field samples. Our results indicated that the microwave response of MWCNTs was independent of the sources, length, and diameter of MWCNTs; however, the aggregated MWCNTs were not able to convert the microwave energy to heat, making the method inapplicable. Thus, a pre-treatment process for dispersing bundled MWCNTs in field samples was crucial for the use of the microwave method. In the present paper, a two-step pre-treatment procedure was proposed: the aggregated MWCNTs loaded environmental samples were first exposed to high temperature (500 °C) and then dispersed by using an acetone-surfactant solution. A validation study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the pre-treatment process, showing that an 80-120% recovery range of true MWCNT loading successfully covered the microwave-measured MWCNT mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang He
- Environmental Engineering and Science Program, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
| | - Souhail R Al-Abed
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA.
| | - Phillip M Potter
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), National Risk Management Research Laboratory, USEPA, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Dionysios D Dionysiou
- Environmental Engineering and Science Program, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
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Goodwin DG, Adeleye AS, Sung L, Ho KT, Burgess RM, Petersen EJ. Detection and Quantification of Graphene-Family Nanomaterials in the Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:4491-4513. [PMID: 29505723 PMCID: PMC5940015 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
An increase in production of commercial products containing graphene-family nanomaterials (GFNs) has led to concern over their release into the environment. The fate and potential ecotoxicological effects of GFNs in the environment are currently unclear, partially due to the limited analytical methods for GFN measurements. In this review, the unique properties of GFNs that are useful for their detection and quantification are discussed. The capacity of several classes of techniques to identify and/or quantify GFNs in different environmental matrices (water, soil, sediment, and organisms), after environmental transformations, and after release from a polymer matrix of a product is evaluated. Extraction and strategies to combine methods for more accurate discrimination of GFNs from environmental interferences as well as from other carbonaceous nanomaterials are recommended. Overall, a comprehensive review of the techniques available to detect and quantify GFNs are systematically presented to inform the state of the science, guide researchers in their selection of the best technique for the system under investigation, and enable further development of GFN metrology in environmental matrices. Two case studies are described to provide practical examples of choosing which techniques to utilize for detection or quantification of GFNs in specific scenarios. Because the available quantitative techniques are somewhat limited, more research is required to distinguish GFNs from other carbonaceous materials and improve the accuracy and detection limits of GFNs at more environmentally relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G. Goodwin
- Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD 20899
| | - Adeyemi S. Adeleye
- National Research Council Research Associate, US Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882
| | - Lipiin Sung
- Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD 20899
| | - Kay T. Ho
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882
| | - Robert M. Burgess
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882
| | - Elijah J. Petersen
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD 20899
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He Y, Al-Abed SR, Dionysiou DD. Quantification of carbon nanotubes in different environmental matrices by a microwave induced heating method. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 580:509-517. [PMID: 28040213 PMCID: PMC6146922 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been incorporated into numerous consumer products, and have also been employed in various industrial areas because of their extraordinary properties. The large scale production and wide applications of CNTs make their release into the environment a major concern. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the degree of potential CNT contamination in the environment, which requires a sensitive and accurate technique for selectively detecting and quantifying CNTs in environmental matrices. In this study, a simple device based on utilizing heat generated/temperature increase from CNTs under microwave irradiation was built to quantify single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs), multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) and carboxylated CNTs (MWCNT-COOH) in three environmentally relevant matrices (sand, soil and sludge). Linear temperature vs CNT mass relationships were developed for the three environmental matrices spiked with known amounts of different types of CNTs that were then irradiated in a microwave at low energies (70-149W) for a short time (15-30s). MWCNTs had a greater microwave response in terms of heat generated/temperature increase than SWCNTs and MWCNT-COOH. An evaluation of microwave behavior of different carbonaceous materials showed that the microwave measurements of CNTs were not affected even with an excess of other organic, inorganic carbon or carbon based nanomaterials (fullerene, granular activated carbon and graphene oxide), mainly because microwave selectively heats materials such as CNTs that have a higher dielectric loss factor. Quantification limits using this technique for the sand, soil and sludge were determined as low as 18.61, 27.92, 814.4μg/g for MWCNTs at a microwave power of 133W and exposure time of 15s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang He
- Environmental Engineering and Science program, Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45221, United States
| | - Souhail R Al-Abed
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States.
| | - Dionysios D Dionysiou
- Environmental Engineering and Science program, Department of Biomedical, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45221, United States
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Wang L, Yang X, Wang Q, Zeng Y, Ding L, Jiang W. Effects of ionic strength and temperature on the aggregation and deposition of multi-walled carbon nanotubes. J Environ Sci (China) 2017; 51:248-255. [PMID: 28115136 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation and deposition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) determines their transport and fate in natural waters. Therefore, the aggregation kinetics of humic-acid treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (HA-MWCNTs) was investigated by time-resolved dynamic light scattering in NaCl and CaCl2 electrolyte solutions. Increased ionic strength induced HA-MWCNT aggregation due to the less negative zeta potential and the reduced electrostatic repulsion. The critical coagulation concentration (CCC) values of HA-MWCNTs were 80mmol/L in NaCl and 1.3mmol/L in CaCl2 electrolyte, showing that Ca2+ causes more serious aggregation than Na+. The aggregation behavior of HA-MWCNTs was consistent with Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory. The deposition kinetics of HA-MWCNTs was measured by the optical absorbance at 800nm. The critical deposition concentrations for HA-MWCNT in NaCl and CaCl2 solutions were close to the CCC values, therefore the rate of deposition cannot be increased by changing the ionic strength in the diffusion-limited aggregation regime. The deposition process was correlated to the aggregation since larger aggregates increased gravitational deposition and decreased random Brownian diffusion. HA-MWCNTs hydrodynamic diameters were evaluated at 5, 15 and 25°C. Higher temperature caused faster aggregation due to the reduced electrostatic repulsion and increased random Brownian motion and collision frequency. HA-MWCNTs aggregate faster at higher temperature in either NaCl or CaCl2 electrolyte due to the decreased electrostatic repulsion and increased random Brownian motion. Our results suggest that CNT aggregation and deposition are two correlated processes governed by the electrolyte, and CNT transport is favored at low ionic strength and low temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Wang
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China.
| | - Xuezhi Yang
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Yuxuan Zeng
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Lei Ding
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China.
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Petersen EJ, Flores-Cervantes DX, Bucheli TD, Elliott LCC, Fagan JA, Gogos A, Hanna S, Kägi R, Mansfield E, Montoro Bustos AR, Plata DL, Reipa V, Westerhoff P, Winchester MR. Quantification of Carbon Nanotubes in Environmental Matrices: Current Capabilities, Case Studies, and Future Prospects. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:4587-605. [PMID: 27050152 PMCID: PMC4943226 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have numerous exciting potential applications and some that have reached commercialization. As such, quantitative measurements of CNTs in key environmental matrices (water, soil, sediment, and biological tissues) are needed to address concerns about their potential environmental and human health risks and to inform application development. However, standard methods for CNT quantification are not yet available. We systematically and critically review each component of the current methods for CNT quantification including CNT extraction approaches, potential biases, limits of detection, and potential for standardization. This review reveals that many of the techniques with the lowest detection limits require uncommon equipment or expertise, and thus, they are not frequently accessible. Additionally, changes to the CNTs (e.g., agglomeration) after environmental release and matrix effects can cause biases for many of the techniques, and biasing factors vary among the techniques. Five case studies are provided to illustrate how to use this information to inform responses to real-world scenarios such as monitoring potential CNT discharge into a river or ecotoxicity testing by a testing laboratory. Overall, substantial progress has been made in improving CNT quantification during the past ten years, but additional work is needed for standardization, development of extraction techniques from complex matrices, and multimethod comparisons of standard samples to reveal the comparability of techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elijah J. Petersen
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - D. Xanat Flores-Cervantes
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Thomas D. Bucheli
- Agroscope, Institute of Sustainability Sciences ISS, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lindsay C. C. Elliott
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Jeffrey A. Fagan
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Alexander Gogos
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Agroscope, Institute of Sustainability Sciences ISS, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shannon Hanna
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Ralf Kägi
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth Mansfield
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Antonio R. Montoro Bustos
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Desiree L. Plata
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Vytas Reipa
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Paul Westerhoff
- School of Sustainable Engineering and The Built Environment, Arizona State University, Box 3005, Tempe, Arizona 85278-3005, United States
| | - Michael R. Winchester
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
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