Life cycle studies of TiO2 nanoparticles

Investigations of the life cycle of TiO2 nanoparticles are presented, from release out of surface coatings, over transport in the environment, to the uptake into benthic organisms. TiO2 nanoparticles get released from surface coatings with the degradation of the coating. The mobility of the released particles in the environment is mainly governed by the presence of stabilizers and ionic strength of the medium. While natural organic matter such as fulvic acids can stabilize TiO2 suspensions, the presence of, for instance, Ca2+ leads to aggregation and adsorption to geomaterials. Released and deposited nanoparticles can to a certain degree be taken up by nematodes in the benthic system depending on the surface functionalization.