Exciting initial ecotoxicity results from the NanoRem project 

No significant toxicological effects were found on soil or water organisms when ecotoxicological tests were undertaken for a range of nanoparticles that could be used for remediation projects. NANOFER 25S is one such product, made from nanoscale zero-valent iron, used for the remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the large scale flume pilot experiment, and at Spolchemie I, Czech Republic within NanoRem project.

Nanoparticles were tested for their effects on a range of organisms, mostly using standard methods published e.g. by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). These organisms were:

• Eisenia fetida, earthworm, used for its relevance upon ingesting soil and skin contact with contaminants in soil.
• Lolium multiflorum (ryegrass) and Raphanus sativus (radish), representing monocotyledon and dicotyledon plants, used for their relevance in contact exposure of germinating seeds and roots.
• Daphnia magna, aquatic crustacean, used for its relevance for ingesting suspended particles and contaminants in water.
• Lumbriculus variegatus, freshwater oligochaete, used for its relevance for ingesting sedimented and suspended particles and filtering freshwater.
• Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, microscopic green algae, used for its relevance in contact exposure in aquatic environments.
• Vibrio fischeri, bioluminescent marine bacterium, used for its high sensitivity to contaminants, and relevance to marine environments.

Ecotoxicity testing will continue for any new nanoparticles or formulations developed as the NanoRem project progresses.

For more information, download the official full press release.