Quantum dots (QDs), also known as “artificial atoms”, are a new class of engineering nanoparticles. They are semiconductor nanocrystals composed of a few atoms and have good optical, electrical, electrochemical, and catalytic properties. Due to their excellent properties, QDs have been used in biological imaging, electronic devices, solar cells, electrochemical sensing, and other fields. Although QDs have valuable social benefits, a growing number of QDs are being released into the environment in different ways, migrating and transforming in the environment, and interacting with biota, which may pose risks to the environment and human health. Therefore, it is extremely significant to understand the behaviors, potential release pathways, sink, final fates, and action mechanism of QDs under various environmental conditions. This review paper introduces the properties and applications of QDs, summarizes the potential release pathways, behaviors, and final fate of QDs in the environment, and expounds on the impact of different QDs on the environment and human beings, to provide a reference for scientists engaged in QDs research to better understand the challenges of QDs in the natural environment and their impact on human health.

中文翻译：

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量子点安全评估的新见解：潜在的释放途径、环境转变和健康风险

量子点（QD），也称为“人造原子”，是一类新型的工程纳米粒子。它们是由少数原子组成的半导体纳米晶体，具有良好的光学、电学、电化学和催化性能。由于其优异的性能，量子点已被应用于生物成像、电子器件、太阳能电池、电化学传感等领域。尽管量子点具有宝贵的社会效益，但越来越多的量子点正以不同的方式释放到环境中，在环境中迁移转化，与生物群相互作用，可能对环境和人类健康构成风险。因此，了解量子点在各种环境条件下的行为、潜在释放途径、下沉、最终归宿和作用机制具有极其重要的意义。