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. 2023 Apr 15;13(8):1378.
doi: 10.3390/nano13081378.

Occupational Exposure during the Production and the Spray Deposition of Graphene Nanoplatelets-Based Polymeric Coatings

Irene Bellagamba  1   2 , Fabio Boccuni  3 , Riccardo Ferrante  3 , Francesca Tombolini  3 , Claudio Natale  2 , Fabrizio Marra  1   2 , Maria Sabrina Sarto  1   2 , Sergio Iavicoli  4
Affiliations

Occupational Exposure during the Production and the Spray Deposition of Graphene Nanoplatelets-Based Polymeric Coatings

Irene Bellagamba et al. Nanomaterials (Basel). .

Abstract

Graphene-based polymer composites are innovative materials which have recently found wide application in many industrial sectors thanks to the combination of their enhanced properties. The production of such materials at the nanoscale and their handling in combination with other materials introduce growing concerns regarding workers' exposure to nano-sized materials. The present study aims to evaluate the nanomaterials emissions during the work phases required to produce an innovative graphene-based polymer coating made of a water-based polyurethane paint filled with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and deposited via the spray casting technique. For this purpose, a multi-metric exposure measurement strategy was adopted in accordance with the harmonized tiered approach published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). As a result, potential GNPs release has been indicated near the operator in a restricted area not involving other workers. The ventilated hood inside the production laboratory guarantees a rapid reduction of particle number concentration levels, limiting the exposure time. Such findings allowed us to identify the work phases of the production process with a high risk of exposure by inhalation to GNPs and to define proper risk mitigation strategies.

Keywords: nanostructured coating; nanotechnologies; occupational safety and health; risk mitigation; smart materials.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the production and deposition process of the nanostructured coating.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) SEM images of the top surface of the sprayed PU/GNP paint; (b) a detail of some GNPs dispersed in the PU matrix.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Instruments’ location and sampling points in the production laboratory.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Box-plot diagrams of (a) PNC, (b) Davg, and (c) LDSA, measured before the activities (BKG PRE) and during the production phases of the two paints on day 2 (PHASE1, PHASE 2A) and day 3 (PHASE 2B) for all the corresponding real-time sampling locations (NF, PBZ and FF)). * values corrected after instrument comparison analysis.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Time series of (a) PNC, (b) Davg, and (c) LDSA of the real-time measurements performed during the production phases 1, 2a, and 2b. * values corrected after instrument comparison analysis.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Time series of (a) PNC, (b) Davg, and (c) LDSA of the real-time measurements performed during the production phases 1, 2a, and 2b. * values corrected after instrument comparison analysis.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) Polynomial fitting and (b) residual curves of the PNC time series during phase 1.
Figure 7
Figure 7
SEM image (a) and EDS spectra in the points signed as * (c) and ** (d) on the materials collected by Sioutas (filter A); SEM image of a trial sample of the spray-coated water-based PU paint (b).
Figure 8
Figure 8
(a–c) SEM images and (d) EDS analysis on the airborne sampled materials collected on filter B, corresponding to the point signed as * in (a).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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