Aquatic Colloids and Nanoparticles: Current Knowledge and Future Trends

Jamie R. Lead; Kevin J. Wilkinson

doi:10.1071/EN06025

RESEARCH FRONT

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Aquatic Colloids and Nanoparticles: Current Knowledge and Future Trends

Jamie R. Lead ^A and Kevin J. Wilkinson ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.

^B Department of Chemistry, University of Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada.

^C Corresponding author. Email: j.r.lead@bham.ac.uk

Jamie R. Lead is an aquatic chemist interested in developing and applying new methodologies to quantify the structure and environmental ‘function’ of natural aquatic colloids. Specific interest is in the nanoparticle fraction (<100 nm) and several single-particle and fractionation techniques are being applied to elucidate their role. In addition, he has recently become heavily involved in research into the fate and behaviour of manufactured nanoparticles in aquatic systems.

Kevin J. Wilkinson is currently professor of Chemistry at the University of Montreal, after having spent over a decade at the University of Geneva. In addition to work examining the bioavailability of trace elements, he has a significant research interest in determining some of the important biophysical properties of environmental biopolymers and colloids. Furthermore, he is developing and optimizing analytical techniques for evaluating trace metal bioavailability by microorganisms and for characterizing colloidal structure and function. He is currently a member of the editorial boards of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry and titular member of the IUPAC Chemistry and Environment Division.

Environmental Chemistry 3(3) 159-171 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN06025
Submitted: 19 April 2006 Accepted: 9 June 2006 Published: 10 July 2006

Environmental Context. The fate and behaviour of trace pollutants are very strongly modified, and usually dominated, by their physical and chemical interactions with naturally occurring aquatic colloids (defined as solid phase material with one dimension between 1 nm and 1 μm). This review summarises the area and key advances in the field of natural aquatic colloids, including technique development and quantification of colloidal structure and interactions with pollutants. The review also discusses areas in which significant advances are likely to be made or are needed and, as such, provides a framework for further work in the next few years.

Abstract. Natural aquatic colloids are materials with one dimension between 1 nm and 1 μm. More informally defined, nanoparticles are materials with at least one dimension less than 100 nm. Both colloids and nanoparticles have significant effects on pollutant, nutrient, and pathogen chemistry, transport and bioavailability, and may themselves be bioavailable. Techniques for their fractionation, characterization and analysis have improved greatly in recent years. Although knowledge of their structure and environmental impact has also increased, it has not done so to the same degree and thus the field awaits the substantial application of new methodologies. This paper reviews the current state of the art in this area and also discusses likely future developments.

References

Aquatic Colloids and Nanoparticles: Current Knowledge and Future Trends

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