Vascular occlusion caused by bacterial proliferation is the primary determinant of postharvest quality deterioration in cut flowers. This study investigated the efficacy of nanosilver pretreatment ...

Toxicity of the metal nanoparticles is unclear, but findings could play a role in future policy decisions

Via electrolysis, CO2 can be reduced to CO, a raw material for further chemical products such as fuels. Within the GreenQuest Project, an internation team led by HZB chemist Prashanth MENEZES has now systematically investigated catalyst layers made of silver nanoparticles, varying both the size of the particles and their density. The best yield was achieved with nanoparticles with diameters of around 10 nm, which were loosely distributed. Furthermore, they demonstrated how the economic efficiency of the electrochemical cell can be enhanced by integrating an additional chemical reaction at the anode, enabling the simultaneous production of a valuable formic acid, hydrogen, and CO in one device.

Vascular occlusion caused by bacterial proliferation is the primary determinant of postharvest quality deterioration in cut flowers. This study investigated the efficacy of nanosilver pretreatment ...

Melanoma is a fast-progressing skin cancer characterized by a high mortality rate after metastasis. Local chemotherapy could be considered a therapeutic approach only in stage 0 of progression (in sit...

Melanoma is a fast-progressing skin cancer characterized by a high mortality rate after metastasis. Local chemotherapy could be considered a therapeutic approach only in stage 0 of progression (in situ melanoma) and in the postoperative phase after surgical removal of suspected skin lesions.

Low-molecular weight (LMW) hydrogels are gaining interest over macromolecular gels due to their reversible, dynamic and stimuli-responsive nature. They are potentially interesting functional materials...

Caenorhabditis elegans is widely used in nanotoxicology studies involving silver nanoparticles (AgNP). However, variations in test media composition can influence AgNP toxicity in worms, complicating cross-study comparisons. This study evaluated the effects of six commonly used media: M9 buffer, K-medium, S-basal, EPA water, Nematode Growth Medium agar (NGM), and “Biofilm” (a combination of NGM and EPA water) on biological responses in worms without the presence of AgNP and the toxicity and accumulation of citrate-coated AgNP (cit-AgNP). Our results indicate that, in the absence of AgNP, NGM and Biofilm were the least disruptive to worm size and DAF-16 translocation (p < 0.05), suggesting lower systemic stress responses. In contrast, all liquid media significantly affected at least one of these parameters. In the presence of cit-AgNP, toxicity patterns in C. elegans at 5 mg/L (administered in 1 mL of food source) varied across the tested media (EPA water, NGM

Global Nano-Silver Particle market was valued at USD 413M in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 701M by 2031, at 8.0% CAGR.

In this stage presentation, learners explores social and ethical issues of consumer products from the past, present and future

(Beyond Pesticides, March 26, 2020) An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determination could allow toxic antimicrobial nanosilver to be registered for use in textiles, including clothing, according to Bloomberg Environment. Nanotechnology products harm human, environmental, and animal health. Despite this, EPA’s preliminary conclusion approves the registration of nanosilver-containing Polyguard as a textile “protectant.”  Public challenges have blocked nanosilver registration in the past when courts found EPA lacks the authority to register these toxic particles. “They’ve failed to collect data about potential exposure routes for nanosilver products, including textiles, which toddlers or pets could chew or put in their mouths,” says Jaydee Hanson, policy director at the Center for Food Safety. “Another challenge is how do you accurately test the actual product and what data do you have which suggests that other kinds of nanosilver work the same way?”  Nanosilver, or silver nanoparticles, are microscopic particles that are used as antimicrobials, which kill bacteria and fungi. They range in size from 1-100 nanometers (nm) across or 0.1% the diameter of a human hair.  Some research attributes nanosilver toxicity impacts to its small size, which allows it to be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream and lymphatic system to disrupt normal organ function. The […]

(Beyond Pesticides, March 29, 2018) Rising use of antibacterials like nanosilver in textiles and other consumer goods is leading scientists to consider methods to filter out these materials before they pollute the environment. As detailed by research published in Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, experts at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, are developing a process to filter out these toxic materials from our washing machines. While preventing downstream waste is laudable, it misses the fundamental question whether nanosilver and other antibacterials need to be added to consumer clothing in the first place. Nanosilver is antimicrobial nanoparticle (typically defined as a particle between 1-100 nanometers) regulated as a pesticide that is added to consumer goods such as textiles, cosmetics, disinfectants, toys and other household items in attempts to kill bacteria or reduce odor. See the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies for an extensive listing of products containing nanoparticles on the market. Nanosilver, which makes up roughly 25% of nanomaterials used in the consumer market, is a particularly concerning nanoparticle given past research on its risks to health and the environment. Studies have found that, when impregnated into textiles like sportswear, nanosilver does not just wash out in the washing machine, it can also seep […]