Particle release and control of worker exposure during laboratory-scale synthesis,handling and simulated spills of manufactured nanomaterials in fume hoods

Fume hoods are one of the most common types of equipment applied to reduce the potential of particle exposure in laboratory environments. A number of previous studies have shown particle release during work with nanomaterials under fume hoods. Here, we assessed laboratory workers’ inhalation exposure during synthesis and handling of CuO, TiO₂ and ZnO in a fume hood. In addition, we tested the capacity of a fume hood to prevent particle release to laboratory air during simulated spillage of different powders (silica fume, zirconia TZ-3Y and TiO₂). Airborne particle concentrations were measured in near field, far field, and in the breathing zone of the worker. Handling CuO nanoparticles increased the concentration of small particles (<?58 nm) inside the fume hood (up to 1?×?10⁵ cm^?3). Synthesis, handling and packaging of ZnO and TiO₂ nanoparticles did not result in detectable particle release to the laboratory air. Simulated powder spills showed a systematic increase in the particle concentrations inside the fume hood with increasing amount of material and drop height. Despite powder spills were sometimes observed to eject into the laboratory room, the spill events were rarely associated with notable release of particles from the fume hood. Overall, this study shows that a fume hood generally offers sufficient exposure control during synthesis and handling of nanomaterials. An appropriate fume hood with adequate sash height and face velocity prevents 98.3% of particles release into the surrounding environment. Care should still be made to consider spills and high cleanliness to prevent exposure via resuspension and inadvertent exposure by secondary routes.     

Analysis of special surfactants by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Multidimensional gas-chromatographic analyses of olesochemically based nonionic, anionic and several cationic surfactants in industrial cleaners are demonstrated. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry allows the simultaneous determination of fatty alcohols, fatty alcohol sulphates and alkyl polyglucosides. In addition, the determination of fatty alcohol ethoxylates up to C₁₀EO₈ (highest degree of ethoxylation) and C₁₈EO₅ (longest C-chain at an ethoxylation degree of five) and the analysis of fatty alcohol alkoxylates that contain ethoxy (EO) and propoxy (PO) groups could be realized. Because of decomposition in the injector and a weak EI-fragmentation, cationic surfactants such as alkyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride could also be identified by their characteristic fragments. Thermogravimetric analyses confirmed that the temperature in a normal GC injector is not high enough to cause thermal decomposition of esterquats. However, we could demonstrate that a modified silylation procedure forms decomposition products of esterquats in the GC injector which are detectable by GC × GC–(TOF)MS and allows the identification of such GC-atypical analytes.     

Zur Energetik des Waschvorganges bei öligen Anschmutzungen

Zusammenfassung Die Berechnungen von Kling und Koppe über die Wascharbeit werden auf den Fall ausgedehnt, da\ eine Waschmittell?sung bei einer ?ligen Anschmutzung keine vollst?ndige spontane Abl?sung des ?les bewirkt, sondern nur eine partielle Umnetzung bis zu einem bestimmten Gleichgewichtsrandwinkel. Es wird eine Gleichung für die Arbeit, die man für den „Rest“ der Umnetzung bis zur vollst?ndigen Abl?sung aufwenden mu\, abgeleitet. Dieser Arbeitsbetrag wird als „Restwascharbeit“ bezeichnet. An zwei Me\reihen wird gezeigt, da\ die Restwascharbeit durch ein anionaktives Waschmittel vermindert wird. Inwieweit die neu eingeführte Gr?\e allgemein zur Beurteilung von Waschmitteln geeignet ist, kann nur durch weitere Versuchsreihen entschieden werden. Unserer Mitarbeiterin Fr?ulein Margarete Rumpel danken wit für ihre zuverl?ssige experimentelle Mithilfe bei dieser Arbeit.