Work

Influence of nickel manganese cobalt oxide nanoparticle composition on toxicity toward Shewanella oneidensis MR-1: redesigning for reduced biological impact

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: were exposed to 5 mg/L of these NMC formulations, and the impact on bacterial oxygen consumption was analyzed. Measurements of the NMC composition by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and composition of the nanoparticle suspension aqueous phase by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy showed release of Li, Ni, Mn, and Co ions. Bacterial inhibition due to redesigned NMC exposures can be ascribed largely to the impact of ionic metal species released from the NMC, most notably, Ni and Co. Tuning the NMC stoichiometry to have increased Mn at the expense of the Ni and Co showed lowered, but not completely mitigated biological impact. This study reveals that chemical composition of NMC nanomaterials is an important parameter to consider for sustainable material design and usage. Environmental Significance Statement: Engineered nanomaterials play important roles in the development of sustainable technologies. As a prime example, next generation nano-enabled products for energy storage will utilize complex, multicomponent nanoscale metal oxide systems to give higher performance through its unique size-dependent properties. While these nanomaterials can considerably enhance the sustainability of our society, it is also imperative to understand the environmental implications of these materials upon release into the environment (most likely through disposal, due to the lack of infrastructure and motivation to recycle lithium ion battery materials). This work explores the potential biological impact of a class of lithium ion battery materials and identifies important variables to consider when designing these nanomaterials for sustainable use.

Source: Environmental Science Nano

DOI: 10.1039/c6en00453a