Experimental and Numerical Simulation of the Fate of Airborne Nanoparticles from a Leak in a Manufacturing Process to Assess Worker Exposure

Project Information

Principal Investigator	David Y.H. Pui
Institution	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Project URL	View
Relevance to Implications	High
Class of Nanomaterial	Engineered Nanomaterials
Impact Sector	Environment
Broad Research Categories	Exposure Hazard Safety Control
NNI identifier	d5-3

Funding Information

Country	USA
Anticipated Total Funding	$400,000.00
Annual Funding	$133,333.33
Funding Source	NSF
Funding Mechanism
Funding Sector
Start Year	2006
Anticipated End Year	2009

Abstract/Summary

The toxicity of nanoparticles has received increased attention in the recent years. Toxicologists proposed to determine the total airborne nanoparticle surface area as a health relevant measure in order to assess worker exposure. If there is a leak in nanoparticle production equipment, nanoparticles can be emitted in large quantities. Between the leak and the point of human exposure they undergo physical or chemical reactions that can change the particle properties, including number and surface area concentrations, morphology, or chemical composition. In this project the PI proposes to measure the fate of nanoparticles, emitted through a leak in a nanoparticle production process into a workplace environment. Dr. Pui will particularly focus on changes of the nanoparticle surface area.