Welding fume of stainless steels is potentially health hazardous. The aim of this study was to investigate the manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr) speciation of welding fume particles and their extent of metal release relevant for an inhalation scenario, as a function of particle size, welding method (manual metal arc welding, metal arc welding using an active shielding gas), different electrodes (solid wires and flux-cored wires) and shielding gases, and base alloy (austenitic AISI 304L and duplex stainless steel LDX2101). Metal release investigations were performed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.3, 37°, 24h. The particles were characterized by means of microscopic, spectroscopic, and electroanalytical methods. Cr was predominantly released from particles of the welding fume when exposed in PBS [3-96% of the total amount of Cr, of which up to 70% as Cr(VI)], followed by Mn, nickel, and iron. Duplex stainless steel welded with a flux-cored wire generated a welding fume that released most Cr(VI). Nano-sized particles released a significantly higher amount of nickel compared with micron-sized particle fractions. The welding fume did not contain any solitary known chromate compounds, but multi-elemental highly oxidized oxide(s) (iron, Cr, and Mn, possibly bismuth and silicon).

Cobalt (Co) nanoparticles (NPs) are produced in different applications and unintentionally generated at several occupational and traffic settings. Their diffuse dispersion may lead to interactions with humans and aquatic organisms via different exposure routes that include their transformation/dissolution in biological media. This paper has investigated the particle stability and reactivity of Co NPs (dispersed by sonication prior to exposure) interacting with selected individual biomolecules (amino acids, polypeptides, and proteins) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). No or minor adsorption of amino acids (glutamine, glutamic acid, lysine, and cysteine) was observed on the Co NPs, independent of the functional group and charge. Instead, phosphate adsorption resulted in the formation of a surface layer (a corona) of Co phosphate. The adsorption of larger biomolecules (polyglutamic acid, polylysine, lysozyme, and mucin) was evident in parallel with the formation of Co phosphate. The dissolution of the Co NPs was rapid as 35–55% of the particle mass was dissolved within the first hour of exposure. The larger biomolecules suppressed the dissolution initially compared to exposure in PBS only, whereas the dissolution was essentially unaffected by the presence of amino acids, with cysteine as an exception. The formation of Co phosphate on the NP surface reduced the protective properties of the surface oxide of the Co NPs, as seen from the increased levels of the released Co when compared with the nonphosphate-containing saline. The results underline the diversity of possible outcomes with respect to surface characteristics and dissolution of Co NPs in biological media and emphasize the importance of surface interactions with phosphate on the NP characteristics and reactivity.

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Studded tyres made of tungsten carbide cobalt (WC-Co) are in the Northern countries commonly used during the winter time. Tungsten (W)-containing nano- and micron-sized particles have been detected close to busy roads in several European countries. Other typical traffic wear particles consist of copper (Cu). The aims of this study were to investigate particle stability and transformation/dissolution properties of nanoparticles (NPs) of WC-Co compared with NPs of tungsten carbide (WC), cobalt (Co), and Cu. Their physicochemical characteristics (primarily surface oxide and charge) are compared with their extent of sedimentation and metal release in synthetic surface water (SW) with and without two different model organic molecules, 2,3- and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) mimicking certain sorption sites of humic substances, for time periods up to 22 days. The WC-Co NPs possessed a higher electrochemical and chemical reactivity in SW with and without DHBA molecules as compared with NPs of WC, Co, and Cu. Co was completely released from the WC-Co NPs within a few hours of exposure, although it remained adsorbed/bonded to the particle surface and enabled the adsorption of negatively charged DHBA molecules, in contrast with the WC NPs (no adsorption of DHBA). The DHBA molecules were found to rapidly adsorb on the Co and Cu NPs. The sedimentation of the WC and WC-Co NPs was not influenced by the presence of the 2,3- or 3,4-DHBA molecules. A slight influence (slower sedimentation) was observed for the Co NPs, and a strong influence (slower sedimentation) was observed for the Cu NPs in SW with 2,3-DHBA compared with SW alone. The extent of metal release increased in the order: WC < Cu < Co < WC-Co NPs. All NPs released more than 1 wt-% of their metal total mass. The release from the Cu NPs was most influenced by the presence of DHBA molecules.

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