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. 2022 Apr 24;12(9):1448.
doi: 10.3390/nano12091448.

Airborne LTA Nanozeolites Characterization during the Manufacturing Process and External Sources Interaction with the Workplace Background

Riccardo Ferrante  1 , Fabio Boccuni  1 , Francesca Tombolini  1 , Claudio Natale  2 , Daniela Lega  3 , Alessandra Antonini  3 , Sergio Iavicoli  4
Affiliations

Airborne LTA Nanozeolites Characterization during the Manufacturing Process and External Sources Interaction with the Workplace Background

Riccardo Ferrante et al. Nanomaterials (Basel). .

Abstract

Engineered nanoscale amorphous silica nanomaterials are widespread and used in many industrial sectors. Currently, some types of silicon-based nanozeolites (NZs) have been synthesized, showing potential advantages compared to the analogous micro-forms; otherwise, few studies are yet available regarding their potential toxicity. In this respect, the aim of the present work is to investigate the potential exposure to airborne Linde Type A (LTA) NZs on which toxicological effects have been already assessed. Moreover, the contributions to the background related to the main emission sources coming from the outdoor environment (i.e., vehicular traffic and anthropogenic activities) were investigated as possible confounding factors. For this purpose, an LTA NZ production line in an industrial factory has been studied, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines on multi-metric approach to investigate airborne nanoparticles at the workplace. The main emission sources of nanoparticulate matter within the working environment have been identified by real-time measurements (particle number concentration, size distribution, average diameter, and lung-deposited surface area). Events due to LTA NZ spillage in the air during the cleaning phases have been chemically and morphologically characterized by ICP-MS and SEM analysis, respectively.

Keywords: environmental pollutants; exposure monitoring; nanomaterials; nanoparticles; nanozeolites.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Factory satellite view (Google Earth source), point A indicates the LTA NZ production laboratory and point B the room used for background monitoring; (b) LTA NZ laboratory floor plan with instruments location; (c) Sioutas impactor within the worker personal breathing zone.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Box plots of (a) CPC total number particle concentration of near field (Bkg NF) and far field background (Bkg FF); Mean PSD for (b) Bkg NF and (c) Bkg FF.
Figure 3
Figure 3
PNC, LDSA, and Davg time series during LTA NZ production phases. The red line indicates the PNC significant value.
Figure 3
Figure 3
PNC, LDSA, and Davg time series during LTA NZ production phases. The red line indicates the PNC significant value.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Comparison of the median particle size distributions and (b) Davg frequency normalized referred to room A (red tones) and room B (blue tones).
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Time course of PNC (grey curve) and p-PAHs concentration (black curve) of day 3; (b) Residual curve after interpolation and background subtraction; (c) Diffusion charging measurements (ratio fAPAH/fANSAM) and PNC signal.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison between room B (blue) and room A (orange) of airborne Si mass concentration in NanoMOUDI stages for size range from 18 µm to 56 nm analyzed with ICP-MS.
Figure 7
Figure 7
SEM image of LTA NZs: (a) trial sample as collected on aluminum filters during the laboratory simulations and (b) collected by Sioutas in the workplace. (c) Histogram of 150 particles diameter as measured in the trial sample.
Figure 8
Figure 8
SEM image of LTA NZs particle (a) with the EDX signals (line scan mode) of carbon (red curve) (b), oxygen (green curve) (c) and silicon (blue curve) (d), collected by nanoMOUDI in the workplace.
Figure 9
Figure 9
% fAPAH/fANSAM vs. Davg (FMPS) plots for sampling during day 3 (surface modification) and day 5 (gardening activity).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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