South Middlesex Times

Common household products containing nanoparticles could be contributing to a new form of indoor air pollution, as revealed by a Rutgers study. The research conducted by Gediminas Mainelis and his team at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences found that nanoparticles from consumer sprays could be stirred up by activity in a room, potentially affecting indoor air quality.

The study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, demonstrated that simply walking through a space where products containing nanoparticles had been sprayed could lead to the dispersion of these particles into the air. Mainelis explained, "If an adult is walking in a room, and steps on some of these deposited particles, we found that the particles will be re-suspended in the air and rise as high as that person’s breathing zone." Moreover, children playing on the floor were found to inhale even higher concentrations of these nanoparticles due to their proximity to the ground.

Mainelis emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the potential risks associated with nanoparticles in consumer products, stating, “At this point, it’s more about increasing awareness so that people know just what they are using.” The long-term health effects of these nanoparticles are still unknown, but Mainelis and his team believe it is crucial to consider the implications of their findings.

Nanoparticles, which are particles ranging in size from 1 to 100 nanometers, are present in various household items such as cleaners, disinfectants, and cosmetics. These engineered materials, commonly made from substances like silver, copper, or zinc, exhibit unique properties at the nanoscale, raising concerns about their potential impact on human health.

The research conducted by Mainelis and his team involved experiments to measure the resuspension of nanoparticles from different surfaces after the application of consumer sprays. The results indicated that children could be exposed to higher concentrations of nanoparticles during spraying and resuspension activities. Mainelis suggested that the findings could help individuals minimize their exposure to nanomaterials and guide future studies on human health protection.

In addition to Mainelis, the study involved researchers Jie McAtee and Ruikang He from the Department of Environmental Science at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Science. Mainelis concluded, “We can use this knowledge to minimize our exposures, in this case to various nanomaterials.”