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Project No.: 0317.00.005.580 Page 1 of 3

Project 

Name:

Nanotechnology Review

CBI?

Yes

No

TELEPHONE CALL RECORD

Incoming

Outgoing

Date: 08/23/2013 Time: am

pm

Company 

Name:

California EPA, Department of Toxic 

Substances Control

ERG Staff Name: Eva Knoth

Contact 

Name:

Suzanne Davis, suzanne.davis@dtsc.ca.gov Contact Phone 

Number:

General 

Subject:

Email Request for Information on Nanomaterials Research

TOPICS DISCUSSED AND ACTION TAKEN

Email sent on 7/26/13 to Bill Ryan (Bill.Ryan@dtsc.ca.gov), Jeff Wong (Jeff.Wong@dtsc.ca.gov), and 

Suzanne Davis (Suzanne.Davis@dtsc.ca.gov):

Dear Ms. Davis, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Wong,

We are researching the potential presence and impact of nanomaterials in industrial wastewater discharges as 

part of the Clean Water Act Section 304m annual review process for US EPA’s Office of Water, Engineering 

and Analysis Division under Contract No. EP-C-12-021. We are doing this work on behalf of Mr. William 

Swietlik of the US EPA in Washington, DC.

Specifically, we are evaluating the current state of knowledge on the toxicity, analytical measurement, fate and 

transport, production and treatment of manufactured nanomaterials present in industrial wastewater discharges. 

Kurt Rindfusz, a chemical engineer and colleague at ERG, has corresponded with CalEPA DTSC staff on 

research related to nanomaterials and indicated that results from the Chemical Information Call-In may be able 

to provide us with some valuable insight.

Our research aims to answer the following questions:

· Are there studies on the presence of nanomaterials in industrial wastewaters? If so, what are the 

industries and associated nanomaterials that may have the greatest wastewater discharge impact 

(primary manufacturers)?

· Are there analytical techniques available to detect nanomaterials in wastewater or other water 

streams, such as drinking water and surface water?

Our present focus is investigating production capacities or quantities for U.S. primary manufacturers of silver, 

TiO2 and CNT nanomaterials. We understand that this type of data is difficult to find. Our primary source is a 

paper published in ES&T by Hendren et al. in 2011 (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es103300g). Did any 

manufacturers provide production capacity or quantities though the call-in program? We would also like to get a 

better understanding of the trends and conclusions drawn from the information gathered.

We would appreciate any assistance you can provide to help focus our research. We appreciate your time and 

consideration.
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In the mean time, if you have any questions or concerns regarding this request please feel free to follow up with 

William Swietlik directly at (202) 566-1129 or by email: swietlik.william@epa.gov.

Sincerely,

Kim Wagoner 

kim.wagoner@erg.com (703) 633-1620

Eva Knoth 

eva.knoth@erg.com (703) 633-1648

Email Response on 8/23/13:

Hello Ms. Knoth,

I apologize for the delay in my reply to your email. Unfortunately, I have not been actively working on the 

nanomaterial chemical call-in. I have cc:’d Donald Owen on your request since he was reviewing the 

information submitted by nanomaterial manufacturers under the second chemical information call-in with Bill 

Ryan and Dr. Wong.

I’ll try to provide some information to your questions below.

Q1. Are there studies on the presence of nanomaterials in industrial wastewaters? If so, what are the 

industries and associated nanomaterials that may have the greatest wastewater discharge impact 

(primary manufacturers)?

A1. There were news stories on regarding nanosilver and nanotitanium dioxide a few years ago. I tried to 

highlight some of the articles in the attached Round_Two_Bilio.pdf that might pertain to your 

questions above. Also attached is a copy of the bibliography created for the carbon nanotube call-in.

I don’t think we came across many research papers on the presence of nanomaterials in 

environmental media during the carbon nanotube call-in but that may have been due to the relative 

newness of the subject at the time.

Another potential source of information is the International Council on Nanotechnology nanoEHS 

Virtual Journal at http://cohesion.rice.edu/centersandinst/icon/virtualjournal.cfm .

Q2. Are there analytical techniques available to detect nanomaterials in wastewater or other water 

streams, such as drinking water and surface water?

A2. The US EPA lab at UNLV had issued a screening method “APM 32 Screening Methods for MetalContaining Nanoparticles in Water” in September 2011, EPA/600/R-11/096 which is attached.

The ASTM Committee E56 has issued some standards which I think focus more on the 

characterization of nanomaterials rather than detecting the nanomaterials the environment. Katrina 

Varner at the US EPA UNLV laboratory is a member of this committee (varner.katrina@epa.gov, 

702-798-2645). She may be aware of other efforts by US EPA or others to develop standards for 

detecting nanomaterials in the environment.
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ANSI-NSP has set up a standards database at http://nanostandards.ansi.org/tiki-index.php and will 

be hosting a free webinar on October 10, 2013 at 1 pm EST and registration is available at 

https://goansi.webex.com/mw0307l/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=goansi&service=6

&rnd=0.42526087190735085&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fgoansi.webex.com%2Fec0606l%2Fev

entcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26confViewID%3D1236345897

%26%26%26%26siteurl%3Dgoansi .

We did receive analytical information as part of our chemical call-ins but I think many methods were either on 

characterizing the nanomaterial or part of the facility’s EHS program. Please use the links below to view the 

information collected from these chemical call-ins:

Carbon Nanotube Information Call-in: http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PollutionPrevention/Round_One.cfm

Quantum Dots and Nano Metals/Metal Oxides Information Call-in:

http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PollutionPrevention/Round_Two.cfm

If I come across any additional information that may be useful for answering the questions above, I will forward 

that to you.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Davis

Hazardous Substances Engineer

Cal/EPA

Department of Toxic Substances Control

1001 I Street, 12th Floor

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: 916-327-4206

FAX: 916-327-4494

email: suzanne.davis@dtsc.ca.gov

Ms. Davis attached three documents with the response:

California EPA. (2009). Bibliography for Round 1 Chemical Information Call-In.

California EPA. (2012). Bibliography for Round 2 Chemical Information Call-In.

U.S. EPA. (2011). Screening Methods for Metal-Containing Nanoparticles in Water. EPA/600/R-11/096.

Washington, DC.