Researches at the University of Oregon have discovered that metals like silver and copper naturally form
nanoparticles on their surfaces when exposed to the atmosphere. This means that we are are naturally exposed to metal nanoparticles from things like jewelry and eating utensles. Understanding the environmental impact of nanoparticles has been challenging and now has become more perhaps more complex. The full paper can be found at:
Generation of Metal Nanoparticles from Silver and Copper Objects: Nanoparticle Dynamics on Surfaces and Potential Sources of Nanoparticles in the Environment