Fate and transport of ionic and nanoparticle silver released from commercially available socks

ENVR 31

Troy M. Benn, Troy.Benn@asu.edu, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University, Engineering Center G Wing, Room 252, Tempe, AZ 85287-5306 and Paul K. Westerhoff, p.westerhoff@asu.edu, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, Arizona State University, PO Box 875306, Tempe, AZ 85287-5306.
Manufacturers of clothing (e.g., socks) employ nanosilver (n-Ag) as an antimicrobial agent to minimize odor-causing microbial growth, which may have adverse health affects on organisms when released into the environment. Six types of socks, allegedly containing n-Ag, were characterized and washed with water to assess the potential release of silver (ionic and colloidal) into domestic wastewaters. The silver contents of the socks were less than 1,360 µg-Ag/g-sock. The mass of leached silver in any wash (500 mL) ranged from 0 to 650 µg. Filtration and ion selective electrode (ISE) support a conclusion that silver is leached in colloidal and ionic forms. Based upon sorption tests, a model for a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) suggests that an influent concentration of 2,900 ppb of this leached silver would produce an effluent exceeding the 1.9 ppb EPA salt water quality criteria level.
 

Environmental Behavior and Fate of Manufactured Nanomaterials
1:30 PM-5:35 PM, Sunday, April 6, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 235, Oral

Division of Environmental Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008