Nanosilver in the Wash

Summary posted by Meridian on 10/20/2009
Source: American Chemical Society
Author: Britt E. Erickson

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing & Research, Switzerland, have conducted research to look at the behavior of nanosilver textiles under real-world washing conditions, building upon earlier studies conducted at Arizona State University, United States, in which textiles were washed without detergents. Bernd Nowack and his colleagues found that the total amount of silver – both dissolved and as particulates – leached during washing varies significantly (from one to forty-five percent) depending on the product and the conditions. Nowack said "[S]ome particles are only loosely attached to the fiber; others are incorporated into the fiber. Companies have a possibility to optimize their products by using a method that strongly binds the particles." More than half of the silver released into the washing machine was in the form of particles larger than 450 nanometers in diameter; the researchers have not yet characterized the particles or determined what happens to them during wastewater treatment. The team also found that adding a bleaching agent such as hydrogen peroxide to the water greatly accelerated the dissolution of silver, showing that washing conditions matter in the leaching of silver nanomaterials from fabric. The article can be viewed online at the link below.

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our team contact us site map	Nanosilver in the Wash Summary posted by Meridian on 10/20/2009 Source: American Chemical Society Author: Britt E. Erickson Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing & Research, Switzerland, have conducted research to look at the behavior of nanosilver textiles under real-world washing conditions, building upon earlier studies conducted at Arizona State University, United States, in which textiles were washed without detergents. Bernd Nowack and his colleagues found that the total amount of silver – both dissolved and as particulates – leached during washing varies significantly (from one to forty-five percent) depending on the product and the conditions. Nowack said "[S]ome particles are only loosely attached to the fiber; others are incorporated into the fiber. Companies have a possibility to optimize their products by using a method that strongly binds the particles." More than half of the silver released into the washing machine was in the form of particles larger than 450 nanometers in diameter; the researchers have not yet characterized the particles or determined what happens to them during wastewater treatment. The team also found that adding a bleaching agent such as hydrogen peroxide to the water greatly accelerated the dissolution of silver, showing that washing conditions matter in the leaching of silver nanomaterials from fabric. The article can be viewed online at the link below. The original article may still be available at pubs.acs.org/cen/news/87/i40/8740notw6.html As tagged by Meridian Institute: Implications: Human Enhancement, Human Health Risks, Governance, Environmental Risks Materials And Manufacturing: Fiber, Clothing Nanomaterials: Metal Nanoparticle Regions: North America, Europe Stakeholders: Government, Industry, Academia Water And Sanitation: Sanitation Minerals And Metals: Metals Related Forums: Materials and Manufacturing Water and Sanitation Metals and Minerals Human Health Risks and Worker Safety Environmental Risks Governance print format	NDN Home Subscribe Manage Subscription Search News Archives Understanding Public Debate on Nanotechnologies: Options for Framing Public Policy -- The Innovation Society (2/8/2010) The Governance and Ethics Unit of the Directorate General for Research (DG Research) of the European Commission (EC) has published an overview paper on options for framing public policy on nanotechnologies. [More] UN Patent Filings Dropped for 1st Time Since 1978 -- ABC news (2/8/2010) The United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an entity through which a company can, for a fee, file a request for patent protection in any or all of the 142 countries that have subscribed to the U.N.'s Patent Cooperation Treaty, reported that the number of international patent filings dropped last year for the first time since 1978. [More] TECHNOLOGY: Science Panel Probes Renewable Energy's Current Use of China's Rare Metals -- Environment & Energy Daily (2/8/2010) A United States House of Representatives Science and Technology subcommittee this week will hold a hearing on rare earth mineral production and the resource's role in the growing clean energy industry. [More] Nanofood for Thought -- Nature Nanotechnology (2/5/2010) This editorial, in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, is in response to the recent report, "Nanotechnologies and Food", released in January by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, United Kingdom, that criticized the food industry for failing to be transparent about its research into the uses of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials. [More] More News... Learn how to include these headlines on your own website by clicking here. Please email us if you require text-only versions of the daily emails.