CNTs

Ever since carbon nanotubes (CNTs) first introduced in the world in the 1990s, it has steadily gaining more popularity as it becoming a multipurpose compound.  Since it can be used in a wide spectrum of things, such as mesh for water filter or electrodes in batteries and capactors, an increasing number of manufacturers and industries have been utilizing this compound in their productions. As its interest increases, the science communities are especially concerned about the effects of this compound could have on its environment. Where spills are often the source of environmental contamination. 

Single walled Nanotubes, SWNTs is a certain type of CNTs used of in electronics was the focus group for Lee Ferguson and his research group used a mesocosm to accurately simulate the effects that SWNTs may have in an aquatic environment.  A mesocosm is a small-scale replication of a natural environment  that can be studied controlled and studied, including natural sediments and aquatic life that could be found in a wetland ecosystem. What they found while doing the study was that SWNTs didn't any significant effects beside the fact they associated with the other particles and sank, Since it does their was no bioaccumulation and SWNTs are said to degrade very slowly (if at all), it still continues to be a safe product to use.

What was significant with this kind of study is that it provided a better way test long term fate of engineering nanomaterials across various and diverse compartments. Better still, according to Howard Fairbrother an environmental chemist, Ferguson research team gave a technique that accurately track nanomaterials environment that could be used in other complex aquatic environments.

Sources:
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2014/09/single-walled-carbon-nanotubes-accumulate-persist-aquatic-sediments
http://phys.org/news/2014-03-carbon-nanotubes-real-world-applications.html
http://www.understandingnano.com/what-are-carbon-nanotubes.html