In this study, nanoparticle emission of TiO
2 nanopowder coated on different substrates including wood, polymer, and tile, was evaluated in a simulation box and measured
with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) for the first time. The coating process for the substrate followed the instructions
given by the supply company. In the simulation box, UV light, a fan, and a rubber knife were used to simulate the sun light,
wind, and human contacting conditions. Among the three selected substrates, tile coated with TiO
2 nanopowder was found to have the highest particle emission (22 #/cm
3 at 55 nm) due to nanopowder separation during the simulation process. The UV light was shown to increase the release of particle
below 200 nm from TiO
2 nanopowder coating materials. The results show that, under the conditions of UV lamps, a fan and scraping motion, particle
number concentration or average emission rate decreases significantly after 60 and 90 min for TiO
2/polymer and TiO
2/wood, respectively. However, the emission rate continued to increase after 2 h of testing for TiO
2/tile. It is suggested that nanoparticle emission evaluation is necessary for products with nanopowder coating.
Keywords TiO2
- nanomaterials - nanoparticle emission - environment - occupational health