Journal article
Influence of Food and Industrial Grade Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Microbial Diversity and Phenotypic Response in Model Septic System
Environmental engineering science, v 35(10), pp 1049-1061
01 Oct 2018
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
This investigation focused on the affect that food-grade (FG) titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs), commonly found in consumer products, can have on the instrumental biological process of degrading household waste in septic systems. Microbial communities are instrumental in the sustainability of natural and engineered environments by degrading organic matter to products easily removed by other organisms. Wastewater treatment is one such engineered environment, where large-scale facilities use activated sludge and other processes to reduce organic matter and waste reintroduced into water systems. TiO2 NPs represent a commonly detected contaminant in the wastewater influent reaching treatment facilities. However, while influence of TiO2 NPs in large-scale, multistage treatment operations has been well studied, decentralized septic systems, utilized in 25% of U.S. homes, are neglected. Unlike centralized water treatment facilities, septic system function is entirely dependent on the health of the microbial community. Thus, this study focused on characterization of the septic system's microbial community and water quality in response when exposed to a common consumer product, FG TiO2, and an extensively researched NP, industrial-grade (IG) TiO2. Notably, FG and IG TiO2 exposure resulted in distinct responses in select microbial and effluent quality parameters. In addition, a more diverse microbial community composition developed during FG TiO2 exposures, indicating that FG TiO2 may alter microbial relationships affecting anaerobic digestion efficiency. Results indicate that nano-FG TiO2 may cause considerable changes to microbial function in septic systems and that understanding downstream effects requires studying ecologically relevant forms of NPs.
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1 citations in Scopus
Details
- Title
- Influence of Food and Industrial Grade Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Microbial Diversity and Phenotypic Response in Model Septic System
- Creators
- Travis Waller - Univ Calif Riverside, Dept Chem & Environm Engn, A237 Bourns Hall, Riverside, CA 92521 USAIan M. Marcus - Univ Calif Riverside, Dept Chem & Environm Engn, A237 Bourns Hall, Riverside, CA 92521 USAChen Chen - Univ Calif Riverside, Dept Chem & Environm Engn, A237 Bourns Hall, Riverside, CA 92521 USASharon L. Walker - Univ Calif Riverside, Dept Chem & Environm Engn, A237 Bourns Hall, Riverside, CA 92521 USA
- Publication Details
- Environmental engineering science, v 35(10), pp 1049-1061
- Publisher
- Mary Ann Liebert, Inc
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- Department of Education; US Department of Education P200A130127 / Department of Education (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need); US Department of Education UC-CEIN (University of California Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology) - NSF National Science Foundation (NSF) 1144635 / Direct For Education and Human Resources; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) 1144635 / Division Of Graduate Education; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) 1144635 / NSF IGERT: WaterSENSE-Water Social, Engineering, and Natural Sciences Engagement Program DBI 0830117 / EPA; United States Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000446999500004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85052695678
- Other Identifier
- 991021229991304721
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- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Environmental
- Environmental Sciences