Nanoparticles: Health Effects—Pros and Cons

Abstract

With the advent of nanotechnology, the prospects for using engineered nanomaterials with diameters of < 100 nm in industrial applications, medical imaging, disease diagnoses, drug delivery, cancer treatment, gene therapy, and other areas have progressed rapidly. The potential for nanoparticles (NPs) in these areas is infinite, with novel new applications constantly being explored. The possible toxic health effects of these NPs associated with human exposure are unknown. Many fine particles generally considered "nuisance dusts" are likely to acquire unique surface properties when engineered to nanosize and may exhibit toxic biological effects. Consequently, the nuisance dust may be transported to distant sites and could induce adverse health effects. In addition the beneficial uses of NPs in drug delivery, cancer treatment, and gene therapy may cause unintentional human exposure. Because of our lack of knowledge about the health effects associated with NP exposure, we have an ethical duty to take precautionary measures regarding their use. In this review we highlight the possible toxic human health effects that can result from exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) generated by anthropogenic activities and their cardiopulmonary outcomes. The comparability of engineered NPs to UFPs suggests that the human health effects are likely to be similar. Therefore, it is prudent to elucidate their toxicologic effect to minimize occupational and environmental exposure. Highlighting the human health outcomes caused by UFPs is not intended to give a lesser importance to either the unprecedented technologic and industrial rewards of the nanotechnology or their beneficial human uses.

Strategies to deliver microRNAs as potential therapeutics in the treatment of cardiovascular pathology

“…For dose calculations relevant for both chronic and for acute exposure, the dose rate has to be known, which includes the time factor. To determine the retention time (how long a nanoparticle is present in a cell or a body) of a certain nanoparticle, knowledge about the physico-chemical properties, but also about the biological deposition time in each site (deposition and retention time are depending on deposition site) is needed (Gwinn & Vallyathan, 2006). In other words, knowledge about site-dependent retention time and bioavailability is needed to calculate the time factor for dose rate.…”

Effect of particle size onin vitrocytotoxicity of titania and alumina nanoparticles

“…Inhalation is the most significant exposure route for airborne NPs [27] and the lung is the major target of inhaled NPs [1]. Consequently, the human carcinoma epithelial cell line A549 was chosen as a biological model to assess epithelial sensitivity to inhaled NPs.…”

“…Nanotechnology is presently considered one of the greatest engineering innovations since the Industrial Revolution [1] and is estimated to become a $2.5 trillion market by 2015 [2]. A major component of nanotechnology are engineered nanoparticles (NPs) defined as nanometre size particles (5100 nm), specifically synthesised to display a particular property [3].…”

Classifying Nanomaterial Risks Using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

“…The type of charge occurring on functionalized NPs is called variable charge, which means that the magnitude of the surface electrostatic potential surface pKa. Thus, variably charged surface groups may be speciated (e.g., abilities) [3,5,6,17,21,23,27,35]. Summary descriptions of five basic extrinsic double layer or DDL [8,36].…”