title: Release of silver nanoparticles from fabrics during the course of sequential washing.
abstract: Increasing use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products has raised concerns about the potential impacts of AgNPs on the environment. This study aimed to assess the potential release of AgNPs from textiles due to sequential washing. Different types of fabrics including cotton, polyester (PES), and cotton blended with PES (called TC) were coated with 4-5 nm AgNPs and used in the sequential washing experiments with Milli-Q water at neutral pH and with commercial detergent at alkaline pH. Similar experiments were also run-on consumer textile products washed with Milli-Q water. The percent Ag remaining on the products after washing was also investigated. The initial Ag contents ranged from 254 to 350 μg Ag/g of the product in lab-prepared fabrics and from 1.2 to 44 μg Ag/g of the product in consumer products. After 20 wash cycles, 48 to 72 % of Ag was lost from the prepared fabrics washed with Milli-Q water, while a greater loss of 84-94 % of Ag occurred after washing the prepared fabrics with commercial detergent. The Ag released during the washing process is present dominantly in particulate form. In the consumer products after 20 washes with Milli-Q water, the percent Ag remaining was found to be around 46 to 70 %. Statistical analysis of the Ag release rate between consumer products and lab-prepared fabrics in Milli-Q washing water by independent t test showed no significant difference after 20 washing cycles (p > 0.05).
authors: School of Biochemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, 12121, Thailand.
authors: Pawena
authors: P
authors: Limpiteeprakan
authors: School of Biochemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, 12121, Thailand. sandhya@siit.tu.ac.th.
authors: Sandhya
authors: S
authors: Babel
authors: Department of Urban Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan.
authors: Jenyuk
authors: J
authors: Lohwacharin
authors: Department of Urban Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan.
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Takizawa
mesh_terms: D003902:Detergents / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007846:Laundering; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D012834:Silver / Q000032:analysis*; D013784:Textiles; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D014867:Water; D012834:Silver
keywords: Consumer products; ICP-MS; Nanotechnology; Silver nanoparticles; Textiles; Washing test