Engineered nanomaterials are being proposed for use for applications ranging from medicine to environmental cleanup, which will ultimately lead to their release into the environment, either directly or as waste. As many pollutants reach the aquatic environment it will become increasingly important to assess the specific risk posed by the release of nanomaterials into freshwater systems. My lab is conducting several projects examining the potential risks that nanomaterials pose to the environment. Our lab is using ecologically important model species, Daphnia and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to examine the impacts of nanoparticle exposures on immune function, behavior, mortality and genomics of aquatic species. Our research has shown that toxicity, impacts on organism behavior and gene expression pattern differ with particle type. Core particle structure and surface chemistry both act to impact toxicity, immune response, and behavior. Taking a systematic approach to evaluating nanomaterials will provide a basis with which to make predictions about the characteristics of nanomaterials that may affect their interactions with aquatic species.
