University College Dublin School of Biosystems Engineering Migration Assessment of Nanosilver Coated Low Density Polyethylene with Potential Application in the Food Industry Joseph Hannon Supervisor: Dr. Enda Cummins School of Biosystems Engineering University College Dublin

Introduction How has nanotechnology impacted the world to date? Food packaging Consumer products Food

Model Migration and human exposure assessment of nanoparticle polymer composites Migration Predictive Model Initial concentration of nanoparticles in packaging Migration Study: Nanoparticles exposure to food simulant for 10 days at 60 °C or 2 hours at 70 °C ICP – AES Analysis SEM Analysis: Size distribution of nanoparticles ICP – AES Analysis SEM Analysis: Size distribution of nanoparticles Human Exposure Model

Migration Studies 5 Digested as preparation for ICP Analysis Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM ) ICP Analysis Copper nanoparticles Silver nanoparticles... ???

Nanoparticle characterisation Scanning Electron Microscopy has been used to Image AgNPs in Packaging (Bottom Left) and food simulants. Size distribution (Bottom Right) used in mathematical model.

SEM images 1 coating – 0.5, 2, 5% and 5C 5% 13 1 coating 0.5% 1 coating 2% 1 coating 5% 5 coatings 5%

Imaging Technique – Hyperspectral Imaging Intensity Wavelength related to size of nanoparticles Spectrum for chosen Pixel

SEM vs Hyperspectral (5 coatings 5%) 15

Summary Increase Ag concentration = Decrease migration (bonds between NPs) Increase temperature = Decrease migration (crosslinking) Different food simulant = insignificant effect Procedure requires (re-adsorption) optimization to reduce migration Future work = Investigate other coating methods

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