Safety Profile of TiO2-Based Photocatalytic Nanofabrics for Indoor Formaldehyde Degradation

• Main Authors: Guixin Cui, Yan Xin, Xin Jiang, Mengqi Dong, Junling Li, Peng Wang, Shumei Zhai, Yongchun Dong, Jianbo Jia, Bing Yan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2015-11-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: TiO2 nanoparticle; formaldehyde degradation; photocatalytic agent; cytotoxicity; nano safety
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/16/11/26055

Anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (TNPs) are synthesized using the sol-gel method and loaded onto the surface of polyester-cotton (65/35) fabrics. The nanofabrics degrade formaldehyde at an efficiency of 77% in eight hours with visible light irradiation or 97% with UV light. The loaded TNPs display very little release from nanofabrics (~0.0%) during a standard fastness to rubbing test. Assuming TNPs may fall off nanofabrics during their life cycles, we also examine the possible toxicity of TNPs to human cells. We found that up to a concentration of 220 μg/mL, they do not affect viability of human acute monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 macrophages and human liver and kidney cells.