Probabilistic modelling of prospective environmental concentrations of gold nanoparticles from medical applications as a basis for risk assessment. Issue 1 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mahapatra, Indrani; Sun, Tian; Clark, Julian; Dobson, Peter; Hungerbuehler, Konrad; Owen, Richard; Nowack, Bernd; Lead, Jamie
• Is Part Of: Journal of nanobiotechnology. Volume 13:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 14
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Gold nanoparticles -- Nanomedicine -- Probabilistic modelling -- Species sensitivity distribution -- PEC -- PNEC; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; 660.6
• DOI: 10.1186/s12951-015-0150-0
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-3155

Abstract

Abstract Background The use of gold nanoparticles (Au-NP) based medical applications is rising due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Diagnostic devices based on Au-NP are already available in the market or are in clinical trials and Au-NP based therapeutics and theranostics (combined diagnostic and treatment modality) are in the research and development phase. Currently, no information on Au-NP consumption, material flows to and concentrations in the environment are available. Therefore, we estimated prospective maximal consumption of Au-NP from medical applications in the UK and US. We then modelled the Au-NP flows post-use and predicted their environmental concentrations. Furthermore, we assessed the environment risks of Au-NP by comparing the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) with ecological threshold (PNEC) values. Results The mean annual estimated consumption of Au-NP from medical applications is 540 kg for the UK and 2700 kg for the US. Among the modelled concentrations of Au-NP in environmental compartments, the mean annual PEC of Au-NP in sludge for both the UK and US was estimated at 124 and 145 μg kg−1, respectively. The mean PEC in surface water was estimated at 468 and 4.7 pg L−1, respectively for the UK and US. The NOEC value for the water compartment ranged from 0.12 up to 26, 800 μg L−1, with most values in the range of 1000 μg L−1 . Conclusion The results using the current set of data indicate that the environmental risk from Au-NP used in nanomedicine in surface waters and from agricultural use of biosolids is minimal in the near future, especially because we have used a worst-case use assessment. More Au-NP toxicity studies are needed for the soil compartment.