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Outcomes of WG4 on Nano-and micro scale particulate contaminants
The working group was created in 2011 and organises workshops or expert meetings on a yearly basis.
2015 - Internal workshop to discuss the outcomes of the Au-NP ILS – Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Université Paris–Diderot, 14 – 15 April 2015. Participation in the workshop is open to partners that enrolled for the ILS and submitted their results. Depending on the quality of the results, the outcomes of the ILS will be summarised in the form of either a short report or an open access publication.
3rd Workshop on Field-Flow Fractionation – Mass Spectrometry (FFF-MS) organised by University of Vienna (Department of Environmental Geosciences) and the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG, Department G2 - Aquatic Chemistry, Koblenz, Germany) - Vienna, 5-6 September 2015. Given the important role of natural colloids in binding and transporting (anthropogenic) compounds, e.g., trace and toxic met-al(loid)s, radionuclides, and nutrients, the focus of this 3rd FFF-MS workshop is towards the analysis of natural colloids in environmental matrices.
2014 - Interlaboratory study on method comparison for determination of size-distribution of gold nanoparticles in known and well characterised samples - NORMAN-WG4 launched, in collaboration with the ENTER Cost Action, an interlaboratory comparison study to compare the suitability of a range of analytical methods to determine the (number-based) size-distribution of gold nanoparticle (Au-NP) in well characterised samples. One of the expected outcomes of the study will be to evaluate which analytical techniques are fit-for-purpose for the application of the EC Recommendation (2011/696/EU) which states that a material has to be classified as a nanomaterial (NM) if at least 50% of the particles of the respective materials are between 1 nm and 100 nm. In order to enforce this definition on a regulatory basis, analytical techniques are required which are capable of measuring particles down the nm scale and allow establishing a particle size distribution.
2013 - 1st workshop on Field-Flow Fractionation – Mass Spectrometry (FFF – MS) organised by University of Vienna and the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG, Koblenz) as part of the cooperation between NORMAN, Nanolyse and the ENTER COST Action – Vienna, 26–27 September 2013.
Workshop on - "Engineered nanomaterials in the wastewater treatment processes and associated environments" - Rome, 19 September 2013 as part of the Nanoforum 2013 conference.
Connected projects
ENTER - ‘The Transfer of Engineered Nanomaterials from Wastewater Treatment & Stormwater to Rivers’
One main achievement of WG4 in 2012 was the submission of a proposal for the ENTER COST action proposal. The action started its activities in spring 2013 under the coordination of Lars Düster, BfG, Germany.
The questions addressed in ENTER COST action include: what ENMs are released into the environment – and in what quantities – how persistent they are and to what extent they cause in situ toxicity.
The project specifically addresses the release of ENMs via the urban wastewater systems into surface waters and tackles the current gaps in terms of:
- Analytical methods applicable for the detection of ENMs in complex matrices;
- Databases on production/release volumes of ENMs;
- Long-term studies and appropriate standard test systems allowing better understanding of how ENMs’ properties are related to toxic effects;
- Comprehensive scientific networks studying the distribution of ENMs in aquatic systems.