Release of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) into environment is increasing with the rapid development of nanotechnology and the corresponding growing applications. Investigation of the fate, transportation, environmental toxicity of released NPs are in urgent need. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are one type of widely used NPs due to their unique oxidative/reductive and catalytic properties. Once the CeO2 NPs are released into the environment, soils are likely to be their primary repository. Detection and characterization of CeO2 NPs in soil is a challenge due to their low predicted environmental concentrations and the high natural background of Ce-containing minerals, thus the fate of the CeO2 NPs after released into soil is largely unknown. In this study, a single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (SP-ICP-MS) methodology has been developed to provide a powerful technique for tracking CeO2 NPs particle size, concentration, and dissolution as they aging in soil. CeO2 NPs (30-50 nm) were successfully extracted from soil samples with tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP) aqueous solution (2.5 mM TSPP) without affecting the NPs size distribution. SP-ICP-MS analyses were performed using a PerkinElmer NexION ICP-MS instrument. The results indicated that both dissolved and particulate Ce exist in the nature soil tested. The dosed CeO2 NPs in soil did not alter the NPs significantly within one day. Long-term aging effect is under investigation and will be presented in the conference.

Fate of cerium dioxide nanoparticles in soil monitored by single particle ICP-MS

254th National Meeting (2017)

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