Investigation of the life cycle of nanoparticles by means of radiolabelling - NanoTRACK

The application of engineered nanoparticles (NP) in industrial production is still increasing since NPs are known to provide unique properties to the products. Within the NanoTRACK project, surface coatings containing Ag0 and TiO2 NPs are under study. In case of weathering, aging or abrasion of the coatings, NPs could be released, potentially in small amounts. Nevertheless, concentrations could be high enough to cause significant environmental impacts. To be able to follow the life cycle of these NPs, a new radiolabelling technique for commercially available nanomaterials is under development. Radiolabelling provides the unique chance to study the fate and behaviour of (even single) NPs in complex environmental media such as surface water, soil or aquifer sediments.