Sludge Watch ==> Nanotech silver threat - Toxic Socks

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

First it was a washing machine by Samsung that releases tiny particles of 
silver into the wash, with claims that it will provide anti-microbial 
protection for your clothes..but will leave nano particles of toxic silver 
in the wastewater sludges. Does it need to register as a pesticide?  These 
machines are for sale in Canada and the USA.

Now nano silver laced socks (I found a pair on sale for a dollar) also 
releasing chemicals into the sewers and into wastewater sludges from cities.

There are many toxic threats in sludge...certainly silver, thallium, 
beryllium, .... there is so little oversight of what products go into 
production and no control of what goes down a drain.

We must not allow these  mixtures ..call them sewage sludge, call them 
'biosolids' .... on our precious farm land.

.............................



April 7, 2008
ACS Meeting News
Toxic Socks
Silver nanoparticles intended to control odor release in the wash
Rachel Petkewich


Arizona State University researchers have found that socks impregnated with 
odor-fighting silver nanoparticles release the nanoparticles when washed. 
This study, the first to examine how nanoparticles are released from 
commercially available clothing raises concerns about silver particles 
leaching into wastewater and the environment.


Troy Benn

Electron microscopy confirmed presence of spherical silver nanoparticles in 
six brands of socks.Troy M. Benn, a graduate student at ASU, presented these 
results in the Division of Environmental Chemistry at this week's ACS 
national meeting in New Orleans. Details of the work, which Benn carried out 
with ASU professor of civil and environmental engineering Paul Westerhoff, 
will soon appear in Environmental Science & Technology.

Various nanoparticles are increasingly used to make clothing free of 
wrinkles and resistant to stains, but little is known about what happens to 
nanoparticles in the laundry. The study is significant because it examines 
whether such products release nanoparticles during use, Mark R. Wiesner, an 
environmental engineer at Duke University, said.

Benn and Westerhoff reasoned that the sock manufacturing process may control 
how much silver is released during washing because the amounts varied widely 
among the socks they tested.

Juan P. Hinestroza, assistant professor of fiber science at Cornell 
University, agrees. He said the varying amounts and morphologies of the 
silver released are indeed functions of different processes used to deposit 
the silver onto the textile material and the properties of the textile 
substrate. He hopes this study will motivate scientists to develop synthetic 
routes that take advantage of the properties of silver nanoparticles in 
textiles while preventing leaching into wastewater streams.

The ASU researchers shook six brands of socks each in one-half liter of 
distilled water with no detergent for one hour and then analyzed the 
effluent with electron microscopy. The socks contained up to 1,360 µg of 
silver per gram of socks, and released as much as 650 µg of silver as both 
ionic and colloidal forms. "In the environment, both ionic and nanosilver 
exhibit adverse effects to aquatic organisms, although through what appears 
to be different biological mechanisms," Westerhoff said.

The ASU researchers' model indicated that both kinds of silver would be 
trapped in biosolids in wastewater treatment facilities. They said increased 
use of nanoproducts could produce increased amounts of silver in these 
biosolids, which could limit the use of such biosolids as agricultural 
fertilizer. Benn added that the Environmental Protection Agency doesn't 
currently regulate silver levels in biosolids from wastewater treatment but 
does, for example, list maximum concentrations for drinking water. And in 
2006, EPA officials announced that the agency would begin regulating as a 
pesticide the silver ions released in a washing machine that are intended to 
kill bacteria (C&EN, Dec. 4, 2006, page 14


http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i15/8615news1.html


....................................

http://ww2.samsung.co.za/silvernano/silvernano/washingmachine.html


INTRODUCTION
Samsung’s SILVER WASH is an advanced washing technology with superb 
bacteria killing capabilities. Imagine 400 billion silver ions dissolved in 
water to make a super cleaning solution that affects your clothes at an 
almost molecular level.

Its sterilizing ability of 99.99% and lasting antibacterial action will 
redefine your idea of purity.

SILVER WASH utilizes 99.99% pure silver for a lasting investment for your 
health and garments

Effective fabric sanitization
SILVER WASH uses nano technology to electrolyze pure silver during wash and 
rinse cycles. Over 400 billion silver ions are released and penetrate deep 
into fabric for effective sanitization.

Enduring sanitization power
Silver Nano particles are dispensed in the washing and rinsing cycles. These 
silver particles can sanitize and disinfect fabrics throughout the life of 
the washing machine... And not only does its effect protect your fabrics, it 
also disinfects your drum and all its internal parts.

HOW IT WORKS


Silver Nano kit model
Silver Nano wash (different from competitive-coating)
Electrolysis of the silver
99.9% sterilization (kills 650 different types of bacteria)
Anti bacteria up to 30 days: silver nano coating on fabric


Silver Resin model
Silver Nano Filter system
Deters bacteria generation
Prevents bacteria generation

.................................................................

News Releases - November 21, 2006
News Releases - November 21, 2006
EPA to Regulate Nanoscale Silver Used In Washing Machines to Kill Bacteria
EPA has reversed course and decided to regulate the nanoscale silver used to 
kill bacteria in washing machines as a pesticide, an agency spokeswoman told 
BNA Nov. 20.

The decision means companies using nanoscale silver as a pesticide will have 
to register their product or seek an exemption from federal pesticide rules.

The agency will be publishing a Federal Register notice on the subject soon, 
EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones said.

The issue has generated attention recently because of a washing machine 
marketed by Samsung that injects silver ions--silver atoms stripped of an 
electron--into the wash and rinse cycles to penetrate fabric and kill 
bacteria without the need for hot water and bleach.

According to some wastewater utility associations, state regulators, and 
environmental groups, the silver ions could kill helpful microorganisms like 
plankton and possibly harm human health (93 DEN A-5, 05/15/06 ).

Jones told BNA that EPA initially classified Samsung's washing machine as a 
"device"--hence the nanoscale silver used in it did not need to be 
registered as a pesticide because the silver electrodes are incorporated 
into the equipment and do not release silver ions until the machine passes 
electricity through the electrodes.

However, she said that the agency has since reexamined its decision. "Upon 
this reevaluation, we determined that the silver in the Samsung washing 
machine is a pesticide because it is a substance (silver) released into the 
laundry for the purpose of killing pests," she said.

According to Jones, Samsung was notified of EPA's decision by telephone. 
Samsung did not return requests for comment.

EPA is working on a Federal Register notice that will outline the agency's 
current position on the regulation of these washing machines, Jones said.

"The notice will state that after a date that is still to be determined, the 
agency will begin to rely on this clarified statement of regulatory 
requirements," Jones said. "This will provide companies time to comply fully 
with this clarified notice. The agency will work with the companies to 
identify data and other information needed for an application for 
registration."


Previous Decision 'Not a Mistake.'

Jones said that the agency's previous decision to classify Samsung's washing 
machine as a device was not a mistake.
"The original Samsung decision was consistent with past precedent 
established for this type of product," she said. "[However], EPA now 
believes that these types of articles require registration."

She added that Samsung and other manufacturers of washing machines that use 
silver ions will not be able to avoid pesticide regulations simply by 
eliminating pesticide claims from their marketing materials.

"The use of silver in a washing machine in the absence of a pesticide claim 
would still be problematic, given the well-established antimicrobial 
properties of silver and the claims currently being made in the marketplace 
for the various products that contain silver," she said. "If this situations 
occurs, it will be examined on a case-by-case basis."

As for the increasing number of other products that incorporate silver to 
fight microbes, such as air sanitizers and food-storage containers, Jones 
said that they will have to be registered or meet a registration exemption 
if they make pesticide claims.

She said that "devices," which EPA defines as products that use physical or 
mechanical means to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests, do not have 
to be registered. A manufacturer also does not have to register an article 
treated with an EPA-registered product even if it makes a pesticide claim, 
as long as the EPA-registered product is used for its registered purpose and 
the pesticide claim is limited to protection of the article itself.

EPA will address on a case-by-case basis marketing claims that make public 
health promises or otherwise go beyond the strict parameters for 
registration exemptions, Jones said.



By Jeff Kinney