TiO₂-based nanoparticles released in water from commercialized sunscreens in a life-cycle perspective: Structures and quantities

Botta, Céline; Labille, Jérôme; Auffan, Mélanie; Borschneck, Daniel; Miche, Hélène; Cabié, Martiane; Masion, Armand; Rose, Jerome; Bottero, Jean-Yves

TiO₂-based nanoparticles released in water from commercialized sunscreens in a life-cycle perspective: Structures and quantities

2011

This work investigates the physical–chemical evolution during artificial aging in water of four commercialized sunscreens containing TiO₂-based nanocomposites. Sunscreens were analyzed in terms of mineralogy and TiO₂ concentration. The residues formed after aging were characterized in size, shape, chemistry and surface properties. The results showed that a significant fraction of nano-TiO₂ residues was released from all sunscreens, despite their heterogeneous behaviors. A stable dispersion of submicronic aggregates of nanoparticles was generated, representing up to 38w/w% of the amount of sunscreen, and containing up to 30% of the total nano-TiO₂ initially present in the creams. The stability of the dispersion was tested as a function of salt concentration, revealing that in seawater conditions, a major part of these nano-TiO₂ residues will aggregate and sediment. These results were put in perspective with consumption and life cycle of sunscreens to estimate the amount of nano-TiO₂ potentially released into AQUATIC environment.

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