Effect of laundry surfactants on surface charge and colloidal stability of silver nanoparticlesShow others and affiliations
2013 (English)In: Langmuir, Vol. 29, no 28, p. 8882-8891Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The stability of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) potentially released from clothing during a laundry cycle and their interactions with laundry-relevant surfactants [anionic (LAS), cationic (DTAC), and nonionic (Berol)] have been investigated. Surface interactions between Ag NPs and surfactants influence their speciation and stability. In the absence of surfactants as well as in the presence of LAS, the negatively charged Ag NPs were stable in solution for more than 1 day. At low DTAC concentrations (≤1 mM), DTAC-Ag NP interactions resulted in charge neutralization and formation of agglomerates. The surface charge of the particles became positive at higher concentrations due to a bilayer type formation of DTAC that prevents from agglomeration due to repulsive electrostatic forces between the positively charged colloids. The adsorption of Berol was enhanced when above its critical micelle concentration (cmc). This resulted in a surface charge close to zero and subsequent agglomeration. Extended DLVO theory calculations were in compliance with observed findings. The stability of the Ag NPs was shown to depend on the charge and concentration of the adsorbed surfactants. Such knowledge is important as it may influence the subsequent transport of Ag NPs through different chemical transients and thus their potential bioavailability and toxicity.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2013. Vol. 29, no 28, p. 8882-8891
Keywords [en]
Agglomeration, Anionic surfactants, Biochemistry, Cationic surfactants, Cleaning, Critical micelle concentration, Nanoparticles, Nonionic surfactants, Stability, Surface charge
National Category
Natural Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-6540DOI: 10.1021/la4012873Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84880317169Local ID: 23820OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-6540DiVA, id: diva2:964378
2016-09-082016-09-082021-11-30Bibliographically approved