Exposure assessment and risks associated with wearing silver nanoparticle-coated textiles

Silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) are used increasingly in consumer and healthcare fabrics due to their antimicrobial properties. Abrasive leaching experiments have shown that AgNPs can be released during textile wear and cause a dermal exposure. Derived-no-effect-limit value for AgNPs ranges from 0.01 to 0.0375 mg/kg-body-weight, and thus, low exposures levels can cause relevant risk.

In this study AgNP release from textiles by artificial sweat immersion and mechanical stress was investigated. A mass balance model was used to calculate dermal Ag exposure and potential intake via percutaneous absorption and inadvertent (peri-)oral intake during wear of face mask, suit with a full body exposure and gloves. Mass flow analysis was performed for up to 8-h wear time and by using Ag penetration rate constants reported for fresh-, cryopreserved- and glycerolized skin grafts.

Dermal intake risk characterization ratio (RCR) during 8-h wear time for glycerolized skin was up to 0.02 for face mask and 0.9 for full body wear in a worst-case condition. Wearing gloves for 1-h followed by single unintentional fingertip mouthing (contact area 11.5 cm ²) resulted in an RCR of 0.0002. RCR varied depending on the type of textile-product, exposure wear duration and skin type.

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of AgNPs release from textiles and their potential impact on human dermal exposure and was essential for understanding the safety implications for different exposure scenarios and mitigating potential risks.