Potential Environmental Impacts and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Silver- and Nanosilver-Containing Textiles

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b06043
• Publication Date: 2016-02-29T23:39:06Z
• Authors: Robert B. Reed; Tatiana Zaikova; Angela Barber; Michael Simonich; Ronald Lankone; Michelle Marco; Kiril Hristovski; Pierre Herckes; Laurel Passantino; D. Howard Fairbro...; Robert Tanguay; James F. Ranville; James E. Hutchison; Paul K. Westerhoff
• Keywords: Textile; Silver nanoparticle

For textiles containing nanosilver, we assessed benefit (antimicrobial efficacy) in parallel with potential to release nanosilver (impact) during multiple life cycle stages. The silver loading and method of attachment the textile highly influenced washing. Multiple sequential simulated household washing experiments for fabric swatches deionized water or without detergent showed a range release. toxicity experiment supernatants zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos was negligible, exception very highest Ag releases (∼1 mg/L Ag). In fact, tests indicated that residual exhibited greater adverse response than released silver. Although fabrics did silver, it not affect their antimicrobial efficacy, as demonstrated by >99.9% inhibition E. coli growth on textiles, even retained little 2 μg/g after This suggests is required control bacterial textiles. Visible light irradiation reduced extent subsequent washings. End-of-life using landfill conditions remaining likely continue leaching from disposal landfill.