The researchers likewise found that a brand-new membrane demonstrated effective filtering impacts.
Scientists from the University of Bayreuth have examined 2 standard dispersion paints and found that they contain many strong particles that are hardly a few micro- or nanometers in size.
Dispersion paints are frequently utilized in houses to paint ceilings and walls. An interdisciplinary research study group from the University of Bayreuth has actually recently taken a look at the chemical makeup of two common dispersion paints and identified a significant number of strong particles as small as a couple of micro- or nanometers.
Dispersion paint components
The Bayreuth research study on dispersion paint components and their possible effects on living organisms was released in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. It is based on close interdisciplinary cooperation at the University of Bayreuths Collaborative Research Center 1357 “Microplastics”. The scientists picked 2 widely offered dispersion paints that are frequently utilized in homes.
Dispersion paints are often utilized in homes to paint walls and ceilings. An interdisciplinary research study team from the University of Bayreuth has just recently analyzed the chemical makeup of 2 common dispersion paints and identified a considerable number of strong particles as little as a couple of micro- or nanometers. The Bayreuth research study on dispersion paint ingredients and their possible impacts on living organisms was released in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. Our research study now shows that when brushes, scrapers, rollers, and containers utilized in painting walls and ceilings are cleaned by cleaning out paint residues, the particles from the dispersion paints can end up in wastewater and thus also in the environment. Parallel to the studies of dispersion paints and their possible results, researchers under the instructions of Prof. Dr. Andreas Greiner have actually focussed on a more project: They have actually established a new procedure to eliminate potentially hazardous particles from dispersion wall paints from wastewater by filtering.
These are differentiated primarily by their dripping homes considering that they were created for wall painting on the one hand and ceiling painting on the other. The solids material of the two paints is 49 and 21% by weight, respectively, while the organic material is 57 and 7% by weight. Particular strong parts in the micro- or nanometer variety are particles of silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium carbonate, along with particles of various sort of plastic, particularly polyacrylate.
” Many of these small particles enter the environment, for example, through abrasion of the paint layers or weathering. Our research study now reveals that when brushes, scrapers, rollers, and containers used in painting walls and ceilings are cleaned up by rinsing paint residues, the particles from the dispersion paints can end up in wastewater and hence also in the environment. The impact on the environment requires to be thoroughly investigated, which is all the more immediate given the worldwide spread of dispersion paints and their varied material structures. That is why we have not restricted ourselves to the chemical analysis of paint components, however have actually likewise investigated their effects on living cells and organisms,” says Professor Dr. Andreas Greiner, deputy spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center “Microplastics”.
Impacts on living organisms
For their questions, the Bayreuth researchers chose 2 test systems that have been well developed in research: water fleas of the species Daphnia magna and a line of mouse cells. It was found that the mobility of the water fleas was considerably reduced when the water consisted of a high proportion of liquified and undissolved inorganic nanoplastic and microplastic particles.
In mouse cells, a reduction in cell activity was observed, which was typically triggered by particles in the nanometer variety. Metabolism in the mouse cells was significantly interfered with by nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and plastics in specific.
” Our research reveals that the active ingredients of dispersion paints can trigger reactions of varying degrees in organisms and cells. The possibility that the ingredients might be hazardous to the environment can not be ruled out. More research study in this location is urgently required, particularly given that we still know far too little about whether interactions between nanoparticles made from plastic and inorganic nanoparticles can set off additional damage,” explains Professor Dr. Christian Laforsch, spokesman for the Collaborative Research Center “Microplastics”.
” It is also still a largely unresolved question how the ingredients of dispersion paints connect with other substances in various ecological compartments– for example, in the air, in the soil, or in rivers. Nevertheless, it is already clear that dispersion paints need to not be carelessly disposed of in the environment,” says Professor Dr. Ruth Freitag, who is Chair of Process Biotechnology at the University of Bayreuth.
An unique membrane with high filtering results
Parallel to the research studies of dispersion paints and their possible impacts, researchers under the direction of Prof. Dr. Andreas Greiner have actually concentrated on an additional task: They have developed a brand-new process to get rid of potentially harmful particles from dispersion wall paints from wastewater by filtering. This includes the use of a membrane made from functionalized fibers produced by the electrospinning process. The membrane maintains micro- and nanometer-sized particles in different methods.
On the one hand, the pores of the membrane are so fine that microparticles are not permitted to travel through. On the other hand, interactions in between the membrane fibers and nanoparticles trigger them to stay with the membrane surface area despite the fact that they would suit the pores. In both cases, the filtering result is not connected with quick and large-scale blocking of the pores. Therefore, water, for instance, can quickly go through the membrane and overflow.
In the journal Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, the Bayreuth researchers explain the effective application of the membrane. They likewise tested the two dispersion paints that had actually proved potentially harmful to living organisms in the research study. As it turned out, the membrane has the ability to maintain normal color components– in specific nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and polyacrylate, and microparticles of calcium carbonate.
” In everyday life, all these color parts are released together into the wastewater. Here they mix and sometimes even change their homes and structures due to their interactions. We specifically evaluated the filtration performance of our electrospun membrane on such mixtures. The high filtering impacts we have actually achieved show that this process has fantastic potential when it comes to purifying water from particles in the micro and nanometer variety, such as those consisted of in commonly utilized paints around the world,” states Greiner.
References: “Disentangling biological impacts of main nanoplastics from dispersion paints extra compounds” by Ann-Kathrin Müller, Julian Brehm, Matthias Völkl, Valérie Jérôme, Christian Laforsch, Ruth Freitag and Andreas Greiner, 16 July 2022, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.DOI: 10.1016/ j.ecoenv.2022.113877.
” Filtration of Paint-Contaminated Water by Electrospun Membranes” by Ann-Kathrin Müller, Zhi-Kang Xu and Andreas Greiner, 18 July 2022, Macromolecular Materials and Engineering.DOI: 10.1002/ mame.202200238.