Size-fractionated characterization and quantification of nanoparticle release rates from a consumer spray product containing engineered nanoparticles

This study describes methods developed for reliable quantification of sizeand element-specific release of engineered nanoparticles (ENP) from consumer spray products. A modified glove box setup was designed to allow controlled spray experiments in a particle-minimized environment. Time dependence of the particle size distribution in a size range of 10–500 nm and ENP release rates were studied using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). In parallel, the aerosol was transferred to a size-calibrated electrostatic TEM sampler. The deposited particles were investigated using electron microscopy techniques in combination with image processing software. This approach enables the chemical and morphological characterization as well as quantification of released nanoparticles from a spray product. The differentiation of solid ENP from the released nano-sized droplets was achieved by applying a thermo-desorbing unit. After optimization, the setup was applied to investigate different spray situations using both pump and gas propellant spray dispensers for a commercially available water-based nano-silver spray. The pump spray situation showed no measurable nanoparticle release, Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11051-009-9816-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. H. Hagendorfer (&) R. Gehrig A. Ulrich EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Ueberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland e-mail: [email protected] R. Gehrig e-mail: [email protected] A. Ulrich e-mail: [email protected] C. Lorenz N. V. Goetz M. Scheringer ETHZ, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Wolfgang-Paulistr. 10, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland e-mail: [email protected] N. V. Goetz e-mail: [email protected] M. Scheringer e-mail: [email protected] R. Kaegi B. Sinnet EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland e-mail: [email protected] B. Sinnet e-mail: [email protected] C. Ludwig PSI, Paul Scherrer Institue, CH-5232 PSI Villigen, Switzerland e-mail: [email protected] C. Ludwig EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland 123 J Nanopart Res (2010) 12:2481–2494 DOI 10.1007/s11051-009-9816-6