ISO/TR 21386:2019

TECHNICAL ISO/TR
REPORT 21386
First edition
2019-03
Nanotechnologies — Considerations
for the measurement of nano-objects
and their aggregates and agglomerates
(NOAA) in environmental matrices
Nanotechnologies — Considérations pour la mesure des nano-
objets, et leurs agrégats et agglomérats (NOAA) dans les matrices
environnementales
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
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ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Symbols and abbreviated terms . 3
5 General considerations . 3
5.1 General . 3
5.2 Considerations for determining background levels of NM . 4
5.3 Distribution of NM in the environment . 4
5.4 Interaction with materials in environmental matrices . 5
5.5 Real-time measurements versus integrated versus spot sampling . 7
5.6 Preparing samples for analysis . 8
5.7 Characterization and quantitation of NOAA . 8
6 Considerations for sampling and analysing NOAA in air . 8
6.1 General considerations . 8
6.2 Transformations and dispersion in the environment . 9
6.3 Sampling considerations . 9
6.4 Preparation for analysis . 9
6.5 Detection and quantitation . 9
7 Considerations for sampling and analysing NOAA in surface water.10
7.1 General .10
7.2 Transformations and dispersion in the environment .10
7.3 Sampling considerations .10
7.4 Preparation for analysis .11
7.5 Detection and quantitation .11
7.5.1 Metal NM .11
7.5.2 Metal oxide NM.12
7.5.3 Carbon-based NM . .12
8 Considerations for sampling and analysing NOAA in sea water.12
8.1 Transformations and interaction with materials in the environment .12
8.2 Sampling considerations .12
8.3 Preparation for analysis .13
8.4 Detection and quantitation .13
9 Considerations for sampling and analysing NOAA in sediment .13
9.1 Transformations and interaction with materials in the environment .13
9.2 Sampling considerations .13
9.3 Preparation for analysis .14
9.4 Detection and quantitation .14
10 Considerations for sampling and analysing NOAA in soil .14
10.1 Transformations and interaction with materials in the environment .14
10.2 Sampling considerations .15
10.3 Preparation for analysis .15
10.4 Detection and quantitation .15
Annex A (informative) Instrumentation/techniques used to quantify and characterize NOAA .16
Bibliography .23
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
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electrotechnical standardization.
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different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 229, Nanotechnologies.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
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iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Introduction
There is an interest in determining the concentration of nano-objects and their aggregates and
agglomerates (NOAA) in environmental matrices. Manufactured nanomaterials (NM) enter the
environment via release from the manufacturing process and its waste streams, as well as via the use
of commercial products and their recycle and disposal streams. Such measurement efforts require an
understanding of the occurrence of natural materials that can interfere with the analysis or skew the
results, knowledge of how the environment can interact with NM, and insights that require unique
collection and analytical techniques specific to the composition of the particle. This document provides
a review of published studies that report levels of NOAA in the environment and aspects of collection
and sample preparation. The reader is also directed to the Further Reading section of this document
for information regarding ISO guidance on sampling of air, water, and sediment, as well as a matrix of
measurement techniques.
Not all manufactured NM are discussed here because there might not yet be published studies that
examined them in the environment. On the other hand, collection methods and pre-analytical
procedures might be similar for some or all NOAA in a given environmental matrix. Furthermore,
NOAA isolated from the environment can be characterized using the same instruments and analytical
techniques used for pristine NOAA. Thus, the lack of published studies does not preclude the ability to
collect a specific NM from any environmental matrix and measure the NOAA present.
Although it is recognized that biota (i.e. living organisms) also can interact with NM by sequestering
and/or transforming them, analysis of biota is intentionally excluded so that the scope of this Document
does not become too broad. However, the impact of biota should not be overlooked. Such considerations
could be part of a subsequent Technical Report.
Furthermore, when NM are used for environmental remediation, and there is interest in measuring
residual levels of remediating NM after the environmental medium has been processed. It is anticipated
that the considerations described here would be applicable to those investigations.
The audience for this document is expected to be scientists from the regulatory, academic, or industrial
communities who wish to answer the question of how much manufactured NM is present in a specific
environmental medium. The results could be used for environmental stewardship, for risk assessment,
or to calibrate modelled exposure estimates, although these applications are not discussed here.
NOTE The term NM refers to the identity of the nanomaterial, whereas NOAA is a more inclusive term
encompassing NM and aggregates that are the focus of the analyses described here.
TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/TR 21386:2019(E)
Nanotechnologies — Considerations for the measurement
of nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates
(NOAA) in environmental matrices
1 Scope
This document provides some considerations for the
...