AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
Release of Airborne Particles from Nanotechnology-enabled Clothing
LEONARDO CALDERÓN, Letao Yang, Kibum Lee, Gediminas Mainelis, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Abstract Number: 595 Working Group: Aerosol Exposure
Abstract The use of nanotechnology in consumer products is increasing, but there are concerns regarding inhalation exposure and environmental release of the incorporated nanoparticles during product use. As part of our continuing investigation of risks associated with nanotechnology-enabled consumer products, we analyzed potential release of particles from nanotechnology-enabled clothing, with particular focus on clothing with silver nanoparticles.
The TEM as well as various analytical methods were used to determine the presence and quantity of silver. The potential release of particles into the air during clothing wear was simulated by rubbing a clothing item onto itself in a specially-designed glove-box and measuring the released particle number and concentration. The effect of friction forces on the particle release was examined by using a rotary abraser (Taber Industries Inc.) with abrading wheels of different coarseness. These measurements were performed with brand new items as well as items that have been washed multiple times to simulate their natural wear and tear. The released particles were measured using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (TSI Inc.) and an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (TSI Inc.).
TEM analysis showed the presence of nanoparticles in most items labeled as having silver nanoparticles, but their size and abundance depended on a particular product. Mechanical friction of the clothing particles (both by hand and by an abraser) resulted in the release of nano-sized particles as well as submicron and super-micron agglomerates. The mode of the released particles by number was in the 1-2 micron range. The release of particles intensified, in some case by a factor of ~10, once the clothing items were washed due to the loss of integrity in product matrix.
This ongoing study is showing that the use of investigated nanotechnology-enabled clothing could result in the release of nanoparticles into the air, potentially leading to particle inhalation exposure.