When you walk through a pine forest, the crisp, fresh scent is one of the first things you notice. But bringing that pine scent or other aromas indoors with the help of chemical products — yes, air fresheners, wax melts, floor cleaners, deodorants and others — rapidly fills the air with nanoscale particles that are […]
Nylon cooking bags, plastic-lined cups can release nanoparticles into liquids
Nylon cooking bags and plastic-lined cardboard cups are conveniences many people rely on, but a new study in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology suggests that they are an underappreciated source of nanoparticles. They report that the plastic in these products release trillions of nanometer-sized particles into each liter of water that they come in contact with. That […]
Micro- and nanoplastics detectable in human tissues
Plastic pollution of land, water and air is a global problem. Even when plastic bags or water bottles break down to the point at which they are no longer an eyesore, tiny fragments can still contaminate the environment. Animals and humans can ingest the particles, with uncertain health consequences. Now, scientists report that they are […]
Lab team spins ginger into nanoparticles to heal inflammatory bowel disease
A recent study by researchers at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center took them to a not-so-likely destination: local farmers markets. They went in search of fresh ginger root. Back at the lab, the scientists turned the ginger into what they are calling GDNPs, or ginger-derived nanoparticles. The process started simply enough, with your basic […]
Curcumin is the spice of life when delivered via tiny nanoparticles
For years, curry lovers have sworn by the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, but its active compound, curcumin, has long frustrated scientists hoping to validate these claims with clinical studies. The failure of the body to easily absorb curcumin has been a thorn in the side of medical researchers seeking scientific proof that curcumin can successfully […]
Do kitchen items shed antimicrobial nanoparticles after use?
Because of their antimicrobial and antifungal properties, silver nanoparticles measuring between one and 100 nanometers (billionth of a meter) in size, are being incorporated outside the United States into a variety of kitchen products known as food contact materials (FCMs). Among the nanosilver-infused FCMs now on the market overseas are spatulas, baby mugs, storage containers […]
X-rays reveal uptake of nanoparticles by soybean crops
Metals contained in nanoparticles can enter into the food chain. Scientists have, for the first time, traced the nanoparticles taken up from the soil by crop plants and analysed the chemical states of their metallic elements. Zinc was shown to dissolve and accumulate throughout the plants, whereas the element cerium did not dissolve into plant […]