Have you ever watched the The Smurfs as a child? If not don’t fret, I’ll explain. The Smurfs are small blue-skinned humanoids who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. It’s a lovely show and makes great entertainment for children. As it turns out blue skin is also a symptom of a condition that can occur in humans.
Argyria also known as the condition argyrosis occurs after excessive exposure to the element silver or silver “dust”/nanoparticles. The most telling sign you might be suffering from argyrosis is the fact your skin will have turned a shade of blue or blue-gray. Usually most prominent in the sun-exposed areas of the skins. The term stems from the ancient greek term for silver.
However lovely The Smurfs may be you would be wise to avoid becoming one. To avoid ‘catching’ argyrosis be cautious in how solutions of silver nanoparticles are handled and stored. Considering that I’ve ordered a solution of silver nanoparticles recently for one of the experiments I’ll be running this “smurf condition” as I like to call it will be at the forefront of my mind while handling my nano-materials.