SoilArchnAg · EFFECT OF SOIL ARCHITECTURE ON TRANSPORT AND RETENTION OF SILVER NANO-LITTER

A lack of understanding of the human and environmental health implications of nano-materials has deterred public and scientific support for nanotechnology evolution across industries. Nano-silver in particular has gained increasing popularity due to its biocidal properties in the garment industry to create odor-free clothing. An increase in “nano-litter” release to the environment is expected from erosion by product use and land application of nano-litter enriched wastewater sludge. This project will investigate the transport of nano-silver in soils through laboratory experiments using a novel 3-dimensional soil model technique that creates reproducible replicates of real soil pore networks, and simulations that combine non-equilibrium statistical physics of particle-solid interactions with information of Lattice-Boltzmann flow fields. The objectives are to: i) determine the effect that soil structure has on the transport of nanoparticles, ii) assess the capacity of soils under different land management practices (and therefore different soil architectures) to filter out suspended nano-litter from groundwater, and iii) develop a modeling tool to help industry forecast the propagation of nano-enabled products and their derivatives through soil environments from product use and disposal. The findings of this study are expected to directly impact environmental policy in the host country as well as worldwide.