Environmental fate and effects of nanomaterials in aquatic freshwater environments

Due to the promise of groundbreaking innovations for many technical applications via nanotechnologies, the potential toxicity of nanomaterials (NMs) is of high societal and scientific interest at present. However, NMs require new or adapted testing methods, as a result of key differences from molecular chemicals related to their surface reactivity. In particular, the dose reaching a cell or an organism needs thorough evaluation and the exact localization of NMs is of equally high importance. Both depend on the interaction of NMs with biological molecules that adhere to their surface and alter behaviour, dissolution of ions, uptake and localization. The current state of specific quantitative structure-activity relationships for NMs and of grouping of such materials is conceptualized. Finally, the legal frameworks existing in the European Union, in particular the REACH regulation, but also the regulatory situation in United States, and how these are adapting to accommodate the specificities of NPs/NMs for environmental safety assessment are presented.