Influence of aqueous food simulants on potential nanoparticle detection in migration studies involving nanoenabled food-contact substances

ABSTRACT

Research focused on assessing potential consumer exposure to nanoparticles released from nano-enabled food-contact materials (FCMs) has often reached conflicting conclusions regarding the detection of migrating nanoparticles. These conflicting conclusions, coupled with the potential for nanoparticles to be unstable in certain food simulants, has necessitated a closer look at the role played by food simulants recommended for use in nanoparticle migration evaluation. The influence of aqueous food simulants on nanoparticles under migration evaluation conditions is reported herein. The stability of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) spiked into three food simulants (water, 10% ethanol and 3% acetic acid) was investigated using asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4), ultrafiltration, electron microscopy (EM), and single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS). While 3% acetic acid induced significant oxidative dissolution of AgNP to silver ions, there were very minor to no changes in the physicochemical properties of AgNP in water and 10% ethanol.

KEYWORDS:

• Silver nanoparticles
• food simulant
• stability
• AF4
• sp-ICP-MS

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the USFDA White Oak Nanotechnology Core Facility, for instrument use.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the USFDA or the CPSC. Mention of a specific product or company does not constitute endorsement by the USFDA or the CPSC.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported in part by an appointment to the Research Participation Program at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).