Figure 6
Contact induced release from nanocomposites. Studies examining release from a nanocomposite in either direct contact with humans, or in a collision scenario, report a range of results. Two studies report no detected release. Two studies report detecting release of the matrix with and without embedded nanomaterials. And two studies report the release of the nanomaterial dissociated from the matrix. One other these studies used a detection method (GFAAS), which destroys the sample material in the process, so it is impossible to determine if the nanomaterial was dissociated or attached to the matrix. The other study used ICP-OES to indirectly show the release of the nanomaterial in addition to ionic forms. Across study summaries are present in charts: (A) the added nanomaterial, (B) the matrix, (C) the released debris identified and (D) the number of experiments versus observational studies. (?) data supporting this result are indirect or not presented, but described by the authors; (exp) rigorous experiments with replicate testing and negative controls (samples of matrix without added nanomaterial) examined; (obs) observational studies with no control samples and/or not replicate testing; (#) Authors used GFAAS, which incinerates the matrix in the process of identifying chemical composition. Thus we are unable to determine if the nanomaterial was bound to, or dissociated from the matrix.