Different Analytical Approaches for the Determination of Presence of Engineered Nanomaterials in Natural Environments

Abstract

Industrial revolution has led to the introduction of innumerable contaminants into the environment via industrial, agricultural, and household applications. In particular, engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), which are emerging in the natural environment and being transported in the environment, may have a significant effect on ecosystems, even though they may only be present at low concentrations. Nanotechnology is going to play a major role which will be responsible for the release of ENPs in the environmental matrices and thus has led to increased focus on environmental research for the betterment of human society. Despite widespread applications of ENPs, in recent years, their hazardous effects on the air, water, soil, and sediments have been studied, which directly impact human health. Hence, to evaluate their persistence and understand the mechanisms that affect their fate, it is necessary to obtain realistic impact due to significant concentration of ENPs. The application of analytical techniques, such as ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and inductively couple plasma spectroscopy-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), for the detection of ENPs in the natural environment is thus the heart of environmental research. The present review highlights the conjunction of sampling and separation tools with analytical techniques for detection and analysis of ENPs in the natural environment.