Environmental hazard of selected TiO2 nanomaterials under consideration of relevant exposure scenarios

This project investigated the ecotoxicological hazard of two different sized TiO2 nanomaterials and one non-nano sized TiO2 reference material to organisms inhabiting different environmental compartments. Following standardized tests (OECD guidelines) were used to investigate the influence of these materials on several test organisms:  Daphnia sp. acute immobilization test (Test No. 202), Fish embryo acute toxicity (FET) test (Test No. 236), Activated sludge, respiration inhibition test (Test No. 209), Earthworm, acute toxicity test (Test No. 207), Earthworm, reproduction test, (Test No. 222). Thereby, different organisms and effect levels (respiration, mobility, mortality, reproduction, embryonic development) were considered. Main focuses of the study were tests under relevant exposure scenarios. Therefore, Daphnia sp. acute immobilization tests and activated sludge tests were performed with solar radiation. Mixture experiments with nano-TiO2 and an organic contaminant were conducted with the acute and chronic earthworm and activated sludge respiration tests.