Journal Article

An adaptable mesocosm platform for performing integrated assessments of nanomaterial risk in complex environmental systems

Wiesner, Mark R, Achouak, Wafa, Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement (CEREGE) ; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Thiéry, Alain, Rose, Jérôme, Aix Marseille Université (AMU), Issartel, Julien, Biologie végétale et microbiologie environnementale - UMR7265 (BVME) ; Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille (ex-IBEB) (BIAM) ; Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Direction de Recherche Fondamentale (CEA) (DRF (CEA)) ; Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Direction de Reche

2014

Overview

Physical-chemists, (micro) biologists, and ecologists need to conduct meaningful experiments to study the environmental risk of engineered nanomaterials with access to relevant mechanistic data across several spatial and temporal scales. Indoor aquatic mesocosms (60L) that can be tailored to virtually mimic any ecosystem appear as a particularly well-suited device. Here, this concept is illustrated by a pilot study aimed at assessing the distribution of a CeO2-based nanomaterial within our system at low concentration (1.5 mg/L). Physico-chemical as well as microbiological parameters took two weeks to equilibrate. These parameters were found to be reproducible across the 9-mesocosm setup over a 45-day period of time. Recovery mass balances of 115 +/- 18% and 60 +/- 30% of the Ce were obtained for the pulse dosing and the chronic dosing, respectively. This demonstrated the relevance of our experimental approach that allows for adequately monitoring the fate and impact of a given nanomaterial.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group,CCSD,Nature Publishing Group UK
• Subject: 140/58 / 38/23 / 38/77 / 704/158/47 / 704/172/169 / 704/172/169/895 / Biological Assay - instrumentation / Bioreactors / Cell Survival - drug effects / Cell Survival - physiology / Ecosystem / Environment, Controlled / Environmental risk / Environmental Sciences / Equipment Design / Equipment Failure Analysis / Humanities and Social Sciences / Materials Testing - instrumentation / Mesocosms / multidisciplinary / Nanomaterials / Nanoparticles - toxicity / Nanotechnology / Nanotechnology - instrumentation / Phytoplankton - drug effects / Phytoplankton - physiology / Science / Spatial distribution / Systems Integration / Toxicity Tests - instrumentation