Environ Sci Technol. 2013 Feb 05;47(3):1190-205. doi: 10.1021/es302749u. Epub 2013 Jan 23.

Modeling approaches for characterizing and evaluating environmental exposure to engineered nanomaterials in support of risk-based decision making.

Environmental science & technology

Christine Ogilvie Hendren, Michael Lowry, Khara D Grieger, Eric S Money, John M Johnston, Mark R Wiesner, Stephen M Beaulieu

PMID: 23293982 DOI: 10.1021/es302749u

Abstract

As the use of engineered nanomaterials becomes more prevalent, the likelihood of unintended exposure to these materials also increases. Given the current scarcity of experimental data regarding fate, transport, and bioavailability, determining potential environmental exposure to these materials requires an in depth analysis of modeling techniques that can be used in both the near- and long-term. Here, we provide a critical review of traditional and emerging exposure modeling approaches to highlight the challenges that scientists and decision-makers face when developing environmental exposure and risk assessments for nanomaterials. We find that accounting for nanospecific properties, overcoming data gaps, realizing model limitations, and handling uncertainty are key to developing informative and reliable environmental exposure and risk assessments for engineered nanomaterials. We find methods suited to recognizing and addressing significant uncertainty to be most appropriate for near-term environmental exposure modeling, given the current state of information and the current insufficiency of established deterministic models to address environmental exposure to engineered nanomaterials.

MeSH terms

• Decision Making*
• Environmental Exposure / analysis
• Models, Theoretical*
• Nanostructures / adverse effects
• Nanotechnology / methods
• Risk Assessment

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
• Review