IIkea announced that curtains it had developed could be used in 2019, Reduce common indoor air pollutants. It was the fabric’s special coating that was the secret. What if textiles could clean the air? asked Ikeas product developer, Mauricio Affonso, in a Promo videoGunrid curtains
After explaining that the coating was a “photocatalyst” (similar to photosynthesis found in nature), Affonso is seen gazing at the gauzy curtains as uplifting music plays. It’s amazing to be able to help people live a healthier, happier life at home.
These claims leave you puzzled. AvicennThe French environmental non-profit organization ECOFORCE investigated. Independent laboratory testing of the Gunrid textile showed that samples contained tiny amounts of titanium dioxide. (TiO).2() A substance that is not normally toxic, but can be toxic. Potentially carcinogenicIf inhaled Other forms of possibleThis substance is said to have self-cleaning properties and can be used to clean paint and windows when exposed in sunlight.
These tiny particles, also known as nanoparticles are at the forefront in materials science. Nanoparticles are available in many shapes, such as spheres and cubes, or fibres and sheets. However, the important thing is their small size. A human hair is approximately 100,000nm thick.
Nature contains many nanoparticles. Nano-hairs make geckos’ feet sticky and nano-proteins make spiders’ silk strong. They can be manufactured and have special properties that make them appealing to a wide range of endeavors, not just Ikea. They can be used in medicine to transport cancer drugs directly into tumor cells. Nanos can be used to direct pesticides to specific parts of plants or release nutrients from fertilisers in more controlled ways.
They can also be used for other mundane purposes. Synthetic nanos can be added to food and cosmetics. Nanosilver is used to make textiles. It is said to have antibacterial properties for plasters, period pants, yoga mats, and gym leggings.
However, scientists like those at Avicenn are concerned about the possibility that synthetic nanos could be released into the atmosphere when household items are thrown away, washed, recycled, or thrown away. These nanos could then find their way into the soil or sea in ways that are still unknown. Scientists believe that nanoparticles pose a greater threat to the environment than microplastics.
Synthetic nanoparticles of plastic have been discovered in the ocean and in the ice on both poles. Nanoparticles Polluting socks and sunscreen were found.Water and certain nanos have been shown by negative effects Marine wildlife includes fish and crustaceans. As with antibiotics, resistance can develop to antimicrobial nanosilver. Silver-tolerant soil bacteriaThese have been discovered.
It is difficult to know where nanoparticles are and what their effects are on the environment. Because they are so small it is difficult to determine where they are used.
These substances are difficult to measure. We know they exist, but they are so small that it is hard to detect. This is why we don’t hear as much about them. Nick Voulvoulis is professor of environmental technology at Imperial College London.
He is concerned about the uncontrolled usage of nanos in consumer goods. If nanos are properly used in useful or beneficial applications, that is a good thing. But if they are used everywhere and everywhere because of certain properties, that is crazy.
Synthetic nanoparticles can be harmful but are not inherently dangerous. They can be made from any substance, unlike their metal-based counterparts. They are not able to be dissolved, which is crucial. They are tiny in size, which paradoxically gives them a huge surface area. This allows them to behave differently than non-nano versions. It can make them mobiler, more reactive, and potentially more toxic depending on their shape, size, type and how the substance is released into the environment.
And then they are released into the environment, on a huge scale. Avicenn says that most nanos are released during manufacturing and disposal, but they can also be released when items get washed. This is known to happen with fabrics containing nanosilver. They end up in oceans because they are not trapped by sewage systems. The OECDEven advanced wastewater treatment plants are unable to deal with nanoparticles.
Inhalation is the most dangerous way to be exposed to nanos like TiO.2For consumers and factory workers. Avicenns tests revealed that the average particle size was 4.9nm and that all 300 particles were below the official nano threshold, which is 100nm.
Ikea insists that its own tests proved the TiO2The particles were properly bound to fabric and pose no risk for customers. The firm also stated that workers safety is very important to it. They are not being called nanoparticles by the firm. The firm stated that once embedded into textile surfaces, there was no standard method to measure the distribution of particles in a material. This acknowledges that EU definitions of nanomaterials are currently under review.
It stated that it is aware that nanoparticle measurements and testing are difficult, especially for materials with particles that tends to form agglomerates.
Ikea curtains TiO shedding2Ikea stated that nanoparticles should not be washed or discarded. It said that it is confident that the treatment is properly tied to the fabric and therefore there is no risk of inhaling it. However, Ikea acknowledged that, as with all textiles, some parts can come off during use or washing.
Many nanos don’t last long in the environment. Because they are continuously being released, their levels remain relatively constant. Voulvoulis states that nanos are pseudo-persistent, meaning they rapidly degrade but still enter the environment.
His main concern is whether nanos are carriers for other compounds. This topic is still under scientific debate. In 2009, Spanish scientists suggestedNanos could bind to and transport toxic substances, and may even be toxic by generating reactive free radicals. They claimed that marine animals and plants could absorb toxic pollutants if they latch on to nanos’ surfaces.
Others suggest that the nanoparticles are less active because of the organic matter in sewage. Others worry that nanoparticles may trigger an allergic reaction. Toxic cocktail effectsCombining them can make them more dangerous than if they were used individually.
According to Dr Tobias Lammel, Gothenberg University’s researcher, synthetic nanomaterials have not yet been found in the ocean and are unlikely to cause any significant harm to marine animals. copper nanos. He warns, however, that there is a possibility that some manufactured nanomaterials could increase in the marine environment. This is something to be aware.
Avicenn calls for stricter regulations on nanos and more caution in product design due to the numerous questions. Mathilde Detcheverry is Avicenn’s policy manager. She says that companies are eager to sell fancy and innovative products but must carefully evaluate the benefits-risks ratio at every stage of the product’s life-cycle.
Beginning August The EU will banTiO is used2Nanos in food (where it’s called E171), and the Recently, the European Commission announced12 nanomaterials will soon be outlawed in cosmetics.
Detcheverry says that as scientific knowledge advances about the environmental and health effects of engineered nanos, such as silver or titanium dioxide, it is important to ensure that they are only permitted for essential uses. This will minimize adverse effects at the source. [ensure they are]Not released uncontrollably.
Avicenn tried again to purchase Ikea’s Gunrid curtains for further testing two years after their release, but they were no longer available for sale.
Ikea informed the Guardian that Gunrid was safe to use as a traditional curtain, but that it was removed because the functionality wasn’t as effective as they had hoped. That is, despite TiO2Although photocatalytic properties have been demonstrated and nanoparticles are used in self-cleaning and purifying products, their effectiveness on curtains may not be strong enough. However, Ikea’s experience suggests that nanoparticles’ benefits may not outweigh potential and often unknown risks.
She claims that nanoparticles are often promoted by some as a silver bullet against pollution or bacteria. However, we must ensure that the treatment is not more harmful than the disease.
Gunrid is just one example of thousands of products that use nanoparticles. According to Ikeas Affonso, Gunrid’s greatest feature is its ability to be applied in any textile.
