Environmental Fate of Metal Nanoparticles in Estuarine Environments

In the last decade, metal engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have seen an exponential use in many critical technologies and products, as well an increasing release into the environment. Coastal ecosystems worldwide may receive ENM-polluted waters and wastes, with a consequent alteration of habitats and contamination of aquatic biota. There is a scarcity of data regarding the fate of these emerging contaminants in such environments. Open issues include the determination of the sources, the quantification of the interactions with marine sediments, the bioaccumulation pathways, the ecotoxicology on marine fauna and the identification of the principal biotic and abiotic factors that may alter metal ENMs toxicity. Little is known about their potential transference into the food web, as well toxicity features and co-stressors of single or multiple ENMs under laboratory and real environmental conditions for various taxonomic phyla. This review reports current knowledge on the ecological impact of ENMs under the complex environmental conditions of estuary systems, identifies gaps in current knowledge and provides directions for future research.

Automated summary

In the last decade, the use of metal engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) has increased significantly in various technologies and products, leading to their release into the environment. This has resulted in potential ecological impacts on coastal ecosystems, including habitat alteration and contamination of aquatic biota. However, there is a lack of data on the fate and effects of these emerging contaminants in such environments. This review highlights the current knowledge on the ecological impact of ENMs in estuary systems, identifies knowledge gaps, and provides directions for future research.