PhD Abstract ID# 392
Graduate Category: Engineering and Technology Degree Level: PhD Abstract ID# 392
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Nanosilver-Enabled Bandages Leila Pourzahedi and Matthew Eckelman For hundreds of years, silver has been widely used in a range of technologies for its physical and chemical properties, such as high electrical conductivity, photosensitivity, and bioactivity. Production and applications of nanosilver have also existed for more than a century, typically in colloidal form, first for ingestion as a medicinal tonic, and later for direct application as a biocidal agent.
(production vs. releases)
Pesticide, fertilizer & transport in potato harvesting
High silver input and electricity
Significant use of ethylene glycol
CR-TSC
CR-SB
CR-EG
CR-Starch
FSP
LFS
PA
100% 80% 60% 40% Eckelman et al., New perspectives on nanomaterial aquatic ecotoxicity, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2012
0% Medical
~400 metric tons produced in 2010
30% of the nanosilver globally produced are incorporated into medical supplies and devices due to their bactericidal properties, yet there has been limited research on the fate of nanosilver used in health care settings, or on the significance of the life cycle impacts of these nanoparticles in the context of medical devices.
20%
OD
30%
WIP
GW
PS
AC
EU
HHC
EC
FF
Impacts from silver mining (machinery and electricity) and air freight
Impacts from sulfidic mining emissions
CR-TSC AgNPs Ecotoxicity FSP AgNPs 1% emissions to air Keller et al., Global life cycle releases of engineered nanomaterials, J Nanopart Res, 2013
CR-TSC AgNPs FSP AgNPs 0% Nano silver
20% HDPE
40% Polyester
60% Paper, supercalendred
Plasma Arc
104 mg silver
12.6 mg silver
Ecotoxicity
111 mg silver
80% 100% Electricity mix
Our first question finally answered …
From 1% silver release
Chemical Reduction
HHCR
(does being nano-enabled matter?)
Global Warming
Flame Spray Pyrolysis
HHNC
Global warming
Silvercel
Aquacel
Acticoat 7
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% OD
GW
PS
AC
EU
HHC
HHNC
HHCR
EC
FF
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Nanosilver-Enabled Bandages Leila Pourzahedi and Matthew Eckelman For hundreds of years, silver has been widely used in a range of technologies for its physical and chemical properties, such as high electrical conductivity, photosensitivity, and bioactivity. Production and applications of nanosilver have also existed for more than a century, typically in colloidal form, first for ingestion as a medicinal tonic, and later for direct application as a biocidal agent.
(production vs. releases)
Pesticide, fertilizer & transport in potato harvesting
High silver input and electricity
Significant use of ethylene glycol
CR-TSC
CR-SB
CR-EG
CR-Starch
FSP
LFS
PA
100% 80% 60% 40% Eckelman et al., New perspectives on nanomaterial aquatic ecotoxicity, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2012
0% Medical
~400 metric tons produced in 2010
30% of the nanosilver globally produced are incorporated into medical supplies and devices due to their bactericidal properties, yet there has been limited research on the fate of nanosilver used in health care settings, or on the significance of the life cycle impacts of these nanoparticles in the context of medical devices.
20%
OD
30%
WIP
GW
PS
AC
EU
HHC
EC
FF
Impacts from silver mining (machinery and electricity) and air freight
Impacts from sulfidic mining emissions
CR-TSC AgNPs Ecotoxicity FSP AgNPs 1% emissions to air Keller et al., Global life cycle releases of engineered nanomaterials, J Nanopart Res, 2013
CR-TSC AgNPs FSP AgNPs 0% Nano silver
20% HDPE
40% Polyester
60% Paper, supercalendred
Plasma Arc
104 mg silver
12.6 mg silver
Ecotoxicity
111 mg silver
80% 100% Electricity mix
Our first question finally answered …
From 1% silver release
Chemical Reduction
HHCR
(does being nano-enabled matter?)
Global Warming
Flame Spray Pyrolysis
HHNC
Global warming
Silvercel
Aquacel
Acticoat 7
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% OD
GW
PS
AC
EU
HHC
HHNC
HHCR
EC
FF
