FOR 1536:  INTERNANO: Mobility, Aging and Functioning of Engineered Inorganic Nanoparticles at the Aquatic-Terrestrial Interface

• Subject Area: Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine ; Biology ; Medicine
• Term: from 2011 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 172114680

INTERNANO focuses on processes relevant for the river-topsoil-groundwater pathway in floodplain soils. This highly sensitive interfacial zone between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems serves as hotspot of environmental transformation processes. The overall aim of INTERNANO is to generate systematic understanding of the relevant environmental processes controlling aging and biological functioning of engineered inorganic nanoparticles (EINP) with respect to aquatic biofilms and invertebrates and transport through soil. In this context, we define aging as the entity of processes leading to transformation of EINP in the environment without complete loss of the original nanoparticle phase (Schaumann et al. submitted).The INTERNANO results of the first phase provide congruent information on aging processes of EINP in the aquatic-terrestrial interface and their effects on EINP functioning. In the second phase, INTERNANO will complement and systematize the generated knowledge using the example of the thermodynamically stable metallic (Au) and oxidic (TiO2) nanoparticles (NP), respectively, as well as the less stable Ag NP and NP of its secondary product, i.e. Ag2S NP. We aim at deducing cornerstones for knowledge transfer to metallic and oxidic EINP in more general, based on the determination a set of accessible EINP properties. Thereby, we will test our hypotheses exemplarily for pathways and under conditions relevant for the floodplain system also for a larger set of EINP.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: Sweden

Projects

• Changes of nanoparticles along their life-cycle and of the local environment of nanoparticles (Applicant Baumann, Thomas )
• Effect of engineered inorganic nanoparticles on population structure, matrix composition and ecosystem services of microbial biofilms (Applicant Manz, Werner )
• Engineered inorganic nanoparticles transformed by environmental processes: Biological effects on aquatic invertebrates (Applicant Schulz, Ralf )
• Identification of soil-specific aging processes of EINP (Applicants Kaupenjohann, Martin ;  Klitzke, Sondra ;  Lang, Friederike )
• Impact of interactions between engineered inorganic nanoparticles (EINP) and natural organic matter (NOM) on structure and persistence of NOM coatings and on reversibility of EINP attachment to environmental surfaces (Applicant Schaumann, Gabriele )
• Transport of engineered inorganic nanoparticles (EINP) through soil (Applicant Vogel, Hans-Jörg )

• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Gabriele Schaumann