Aerosolization System for Experimental Inhalation Studies of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials

Assessing the human health risks associated with engineered nanomaterials is challenging because of the wide range of plausible exposure scenarios. While exposure to nanomaterials may occur through a number of pathways, inhalation is likely one of the most significant potential routes of exposure in industrial settings. An aerosolization system was developed to administer carbon nanomaterials from a dry bulk medium into airborne particles for delivery into a nose-only inhalation system. Utilization of a cannula-based feed system, diamond-coated wheel, aerosolization chamber, and krypton-85 source allows for delivery of otherwise difficult to produce respirable-sized particles. The particle size distribution (aerodynamic and actual) and morphology were characterized for different aerosolized carbon-based nanomaterials (e.g., single-walled carbon nanotubes and ultrafine carbon black). Airborne particles represented a range of size and morphological characteristics, all of which were agglomerated particles spanning in actual size from the nanosize range (