Nanoparticles and the Environment

Nanoparticles are a class of materials with properties distinctively different from their bulk and molecular counterparts. A critical review of the very broad topic of environmental nanoparticles is presented. Because of the vast nature of the topic, the review is focused primarily on gas-borne nanoparticles. The "life history of nanoparticles" is presented, tracking it from its formation to its potential use and eventual fate in the environment. Nanoparticle sources, anthropogenic emissions from industrial and occupational settings, and conversion and formation in the atmosphere are discussed. The ability to characterize and capture these nanoparticles (as would be necessary in a nanoparticle production…