Leaching potential of silver from nanosilver-treated textile products

Abstract

The use of nanosilver as an antibacterial agent for various products has increased, especially so, in textiles. This study aims to investigate the potential of Ag to leach from commercial products which contain nano-Ag by using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) test in accordance with USEPA method 1311. Eight nano-Ag products were purchased from the market. Only those products that are likely to be disposed of in a landfill after end use were selected. Nano-Ag fabrics of different concentrations were also prepared at the laboratory scale, and the TCLP test was performed on them as well. The current study assumes that the new products were discarded without use. The Ag content was quantified by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and ranged from 0.95 to 2.82 μg/g of the product in the commercial products and from 1.49 to 350 μg/g of the product in the lab-prepared fabrics. In the TCLP test results, Ag concentrations ranged from 4.3 to 64.9 μg/L in the commercial products and from 28.9 to 28,381 μg/L in the lab-prepared fabrics. The results also indicate that the amount of Ag released depends on the type of the fabrics. Additionally, the size of the nano-Ag released in percentage is different for each prepared fabric. This study can help in understanding the amount of Ag released during the disposal phase of a product in a landfill.

Assessment of the developmental neurotoxicity of silver nanoparticles and silver ions with mouse embryonic stem cells in vitro

“…We used this model to start investigating the toxicity of AgNPs and Ag ions during development. We chose 0.01‐ and 0.1‐μg/mL AgNP and Ag ion concentrations, to include normal population and occupational exposures (Lee et al, ; Limpiteeprakan & Babel, ; Wang et al, ). Those concentrations were far from being lethal.…”

“…We chose 0.01-and 0.1-μg/mL AgNP and Ag ion concentrations, to include normal population and occupational exposures (Lee et al, 2012b;Limpiteeprakan & Babel, 2016;Wang et al, 1998). Those concentrations were far from being lethal.…”

Thermal and antimicrobial evaluation of cotton functionalized with a chitosan–zeolite composite and microcapsules of phase‐change materials

“…evaluated the release of silver ions from some textile products, casual products and those used in hospitals, and obtained concentrations ranging from 0.56 to 46 µg/g. Limpiteeprakan and Babel also evaluated silver released from different commercial textile products, which included shoes and socks, automotive supplies, and hospital masks with silver nanoparticles. They found concentrations ranging from 0.95 to 2.82 µg/g, with nanoparticles sizes and the absence of binders in the coating influencing this release process.…”

Chemical and physical transformations of silver nanomaterial containing textiles after modeled human exposure

“…[1] Consumer textiles such as athletic clothing, socks, and stuffed animals incorporate AgNMs to prevent microbial growth and odors. [2–4] Additionally, AgNMs are found in biomedical products such as creams, catheters, bandages, and wound dressings as a preventative measure against infections. [5] Clearly, silver as a nano-additive has a significant footprint as an antimicrobial agent in select applications.…”