Determination of Titanium (IV) Oxide Nanoparticles Released from Textiles by Single Particle – Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS)

Abstract

Monitoring TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) that are released from functional textiles is significant for assessing the potential risk to consumers. However, determining the size distribution of TiO₂ NPs is still a challenge due to agglomeration. The present study employed single particle–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) to quantify TiO₂ NPs released from functional textiles. Through screening dispersants and validating the standard samples, an accurate method for determining the size and number of TiO₂ NPs was developed. The validated procedure was successfully used to determine the release of TiO₂ NPs from yarn in sweat and water media throughout the day. The result revealed that the yarn decorated with TiO₂ NPs released approximately the same particle size distribution from 60 to 260 nm in both media. The released particle concentration was 0.094 µg/mL with a mean size of 136 nm in water and a particle concentration of 0.120 µg/mL with a mean size of 133 nm in sweat. Additionally, based upon transmission electron microscopy, anatase TiO₂ NPs were identified. It is expected that this work is significant in the evaluation of the toxicological effects of multifunctional textiles modified by TiO₂ NPs on human health.

Keywords:

• Dermal exposure
• inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS)
• nanoparticles
• single particle textiles
• TiO₂

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (Grant ZR2020MB104), and the Key R&D Projects in Shandong Province, China (Project 2019GGX102034).