Technological watch
Why Nanotoxicology Should be the First Step Towards a Nanotechnology Future
Over the past several decades, advancements within the field of nanotechnology have led to the production of a wide range of engineered nanoscale materials (ENMs). ENMs are often noted for their unique physicochemical characteristics, usually attributed to their small size, distinct chemical composition, surface structure, solubility, shape, and aggregation.
Image Credit: Alex photohub/Shutterstock.com
ENMs of all dimensions have been incorporated into almost every industry. Some examples include the use of metal nanoparticles for groundwater treatment and heavy metal removal, silica nanoparticles for electronic devices, zinc oxide nanoparticles in industrial coatings to protect against the effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as well as silver nanoparticles used for their antimicrobial properties in biomedical applications.
What is Nanotoxicology? Although most biological systems are equipped with innate and adaptive immune responses that protect themselves against invasion from foreign elements, exposure to ENMs may result in undesirable immunological effects. Furthermore, the release of ENMs and nanoparticles into the environment due to their use in specific industries can lead to ecological effects that must be fully understood.
To address this, nanotoxicology has emerged as the discipline concerned with studying the toxicity of nanomaterials. By definition, nanotoxicology explores the interactions that exist between engineered or incidental nanomaterials and biological systems. While nanotoxicology is a relatively new field, it has since developed into a mature discipline that provides systematic knowledge for the risk assessment of ENMs and, as a result, assists in the development of safer-by-design nanomaterials.
Related: An Overview of the Synthesis and Application of Green NanoparticlesCurrent Research in NanotoxicologyOne of the major applications of nanotoxicology can be found within the field of nanomedicine, which first emerged in the 1960s during the development of nanomaterial-based systems for controlled drug release. Despite their long history, only 50 nanomedicines have since been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while an additional 77 are undergoing testing in clinical trials.
Some of the major challenges that limit the clinical application of nanomedical products include their low efficacy, often due to little understanding of nano-bio interactions. Concerns regarding nanomaterial biocompatibility, toxicity, and degradation are also key factors. Within the field of nanomedicine, researchers are primarily interested in overcoming these challenges to bring more effective nanomedical products to the clinic.
Related Stories
In addition to the applications of nanotoxicology within medicine, the field of nanotoxicology has also become an important research focus of toxicologists. The release of nanoparticles into water, soil, and air can increase bioavailability and accumulation within human and animal food chains.
Regardless of what species the organism is, cells can readily internalize nanoparticles through either passive or active mechanisms; it is essential to understand the environmental impact of these materials to prevent negative effects.
Click here to see Biological Atomic Force Microscopes (BIO-AFM)Biocompatibility and Toxicity of NanomaterialsA biocompatible material can perform its desired function without causing any undesirable local or systemic effects to its recipient. Comparably, toxicity refers to the ability of particles to adversely affect the normal physiological processes of the recipient, which can include disruption to the standard structure of organs and tissues within humans, animals, or the environment.
For biomedical applications, the biocompatibility of nanoparticles and other ENMs can be classified according to their hemocompatibility or histocompatibility. The safety of nanomaterials within the blood, for example, is often conducted through the use of hemolysis.
Compared to the evaluation of nanomaterials’ biocompatibility, determining the toxicity of nanoparticles has proven to be a much more complex process that is still not fully understood. Much of this problem is derived from the ability of nanoparticles to bind to and interact with biological matter, which can lead to altered surface characteristics of the particles, depending upon what type of environment they are in. Whereas classical toxicology is often categorized according to the dose metric, this methodology is not always appropriate when nanoparticles are considered.
As these materials often exhibit many more variables, including their size, shape, surface, charge, coating, and aggregation, to name a few, this can alter their toxicity profile.
Image Credit: Motortion Films/Shutterstock.com
The Industrial Role of NanotoxicologyThere remains a significant demand for nanomaterials in almost every industry ranging from agriculture and engineering to materials science and medicine. Nanomaterials offer a wide range of physicochemical properties that can be advantageous compared to the properties of their parent materials. However, they can also trigger severe consequences with use. It is essential that nanomaterials undergo distinct risk assessment processes that include an effects evaluation, exposure assessment, and risk characterization to limit such consequences.
An effects evaluation should include both in vitro and in vivo data that provides information on the estimated exposure value and how this compared to the administered concentration of the agent. Ultimately, the goal of these studies is to determine an exposure value in which no adverse effect was observed in the experimental research.
Secondly, exposure assessment should allow researchers to identify all potential sources of interaction with the nanomaterial. This step, therefore, requires the researchers to understand the full manufacturing process, as well as all possible routes of exposure. Collecting this information will assist in determining the appropriate testing strategy along with recommendations they should implement regarding risk prevention measures.
References and Further Reading Pipergkou, Z., Karamanou, K., Basak, A., et al. (2016) Emerging aspects of nanotoxicology in health and disease: From agriculture and food sector to cancer therapeutics. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 91; 42-57. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2016.03.003
Ganguly, P., Breen, A., & Pillai, S. C. (2018). Toxicity of Nanomaterials: Exposure, Pathways, Assessment, and Recent Advances. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 4(7); 2237-2275. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b00068
Bondarenko, O., Mortimer, M., Kahru, A., et al. (2021). Nanotoxicology and nanomedicine: The Yin and Yang of nano-bio interactions for the new decade. Available at:Nanotoday 39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nantod.2021.101184
Polonini, H. C., & Brayner, R. (2015). Nanoecotoxicology: The State of the Art. Nanotechnologies in Food and Agriculture. Available at:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14024-7_13
Li, X., Fan, Y., Feng, Q., & Ciu, F. (2012). Biocompatibility and Toxicity of Nanoparticles and Nanotubes. Journal of Nanomaterials. Available at:https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/548389
Zielinska, A., Costa, B., Ferreira, M. V., et al. (2020). Nanotoxicology and Nanosafety: Safety-by-Design and Testing at a Glance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(13); 4657. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph17134657
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.
Written by
Benedette CuffariAfter completing her Bachelor of Science in Toxicology with two minors in Spanish and Chemistry in 2016, Benedette continued her studies to complete her Master of Science in Toxicology in May of 2018. During graduate school, Benedette investigated the dermatotoxicity of mechlorethamine and bendamustine; two nitrogen mustard alkylating agents that are used in anticancer therapy.
var pageContentLanguages = { pageContentQsParmName: 'ArticleID', pageContentId: 5837, langs: [ { code: 'en', name: 'English', current: true },{ code: 'es', name: 'Español', current: false },{ code: 'fr', name: 'Français', current: false },{ code: 'pt', name: 'Português', current: false },{ code: 'it', name: 'Italiano', current: false } ] }; $(function() { BlogEngine.initContentLanguages(); }); Citations Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
Cancel reply to comment
Leave your feedback Login (Logout)
Image Credit: Alex photohub/Shutterstock.com
ENMs of all dimensions have been incorporated into almost every industry. Some examples include the use of metal nanoparticles for groundwater treatment and heavy metal removal, silica nanoparticles for electronic devices, zinc oxide nanoparticles in industrial coatings to protect against the effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as well as silver nanoparticles used for their antimicrobial properties in biomedical applications.
What is Nanotoxicology? Although most biological systems are equipped with innate and adaptive immune responses that protect themselves against invasion from foreign elements, exposure to ENMs may result in undesirable immunological effects. Furthermore, the release of ENMs and nanoparticles into the environment due to their use in specific industries can lead to ecological effects that must be fully understood.
To address this, nanotoxicology has emerged as the discipline concerned with studying the toxicity of nanomaterials. By definition, nanotoxicology explores the interactions that exist between engineered or incidental nanomaterials and biological systems. While nanotoxicology is a relatively new field, it has since developed into a mature discipline that provides systematic knowledge for the risk assessment of ENMs and, as a result, assists in the development of safer-by-design nanomaterials.
Related: An Overview of the Synthesis and Application of Green NanoparticlesCurrent Research in NanotoxicologyOne of the major applications of nanotoxicology can be found within the field of nanomedicine, which first emerged in the 1960s during the development of nanomaterial-based systems for controlled drug release. Despite their long history, only 50 nanomedicines have since been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while an additional 77 are undergoing testing in clinical trials.
Some of the major challenges that limit the clinical application of nanomedical products include their low efficacy, often due to little understanding of nano-bio interactions. Concerns regarding nanomaterial biocompatibility, toxicity, and degradation are also key factors. Within the field of nanomedicine, researchers are primarily interested in overcoming these challenges to bring more effective nanomedical products to the clinic.
Related Stories
- Beryllium (Be) Nanoparticles - Properties, Applications
- A Step-by-Step Analysis of How to Create Nanoparticles
- Nanotechnology and Developing Countries - Part 2: What Realities?
In addition to the applications of nanotoxicology within medicine, the field of nanotoxicology has also become an important research focus of toxicologists. The release of nanoparticles into water, soil, and air can increase bioavailability and accumulation within human and animal food chains.
Regardless of what species the organism is, cells can readily internalize nanoparticles through either passive or active mechanisms; it is essential to understand the environmental impact of these materials to prevent negative effects.
Click here to see Biological Atomic Force Microscopes (BIO-AFM)Biocompatibility and Toxicity of NanomaterialsA biocompatible material can perform its desired function without causing any undesirable local or systemic effects to its recipient. Comparably, toxicity refers to the ability of particles to adversely affect the normal physiological processes of the recipient, which can include disruption to the standard structure of organs and tissues within humans, animals, or the environment.
For biomedical applications, the biocompatibility of nanoparticles and other ENMs can be classified according to their hemocompatibility or histocompatibility. The safety of nanomaterials within the blood, for example, is often conducted through the use of hemolysis.
Compared to the evaluation of nanomaterials’ biocompatibility, determining the toxicity of nanoparticles has proven to be a much more complex process that is still not fully understood. Much of this problem is derived from the ability of nanoparticles to bind to and interact with biological matter, which can lead to altered surface characteristics of the particles, depending upon what type of environment they are in. Whereas classical toxicology is often categorized according to the dose metric, this methodology is not always appropriate when nanoparticles are considered.
As these materials often exhibit many more variables, including their size, shape, surface, charge, coating, and aggregation, to name a few, this can alter their toxicity profile.
Image Credit: Motortion Films/Shutterstock.com
The Industrial Role of NanotoxicologyThere remains a significant demand for nanomaterials in almost every industry ranging from agriculture and engineering to materials science and medicine. Nanomaterials offer a wide range of physicochemical properties that can be advantageous compared to the properties of their parent materials. However, they can also trigger severe consequences with use. It is essential that nanomaterials undergo distinct risk assessment processes that include an effects evaluation, exposure assessment, and risk characterization to limit such consequences.
An effects evaluation should include both in vitro and in vivo data that provides information on the estimated exposure value and how this compared to the administered concentration of the agent. Ultimately, the goal of these studies is to determine an exposure value in which no adverse effect was observed in the experimental research.
Secondly, exposure assessment should allow researchers to identify all potential sources of interaction with the nanomaterial. This step, therefore, requires the researchers to understand the full manufacturing process, as well as all possible routes of exposure. Collecting this information will assist in determining the appropriate testing strategy along with recommendations they should implement regarding risk prevention measures.
References and Further Reading Pipergkou, Z., Karamanou, K., Basak, A., et al. (2016) Emerging aspects of nanotoxicology in health and disease: From agriculture and food sector to cancer therapeutics. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 91; 42-57. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2016.03.003
Ganguly, P., Breen, A., & Pillai, S. C. (2018). Toxicity of Nanomaterials: Exposure, Pathways, Assessment, and Recent Advances. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 4(7); 2237-2275. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b00068
Bondarenko, O., Mortimer, M., Kahru, A., et al. (2021). Nanotoxicology and nanomedicine: The Yin and Yang of nano-bio interactions for the new decade. Available at:Nanotoday 39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nantod.2021.101184
Polonini, H. C., & Brayner, R. (2015). Nanoecotoxicology: The State of the Art. Nanotechnologies in Food and Agriculture. Available at:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14024-7_13
Li, X., Fan, Y., Feng, Q., & Ciu, F. (2012). Biocompatibility and Toxicity of Nanoparticles and Nanotubes. Journal of Nanomaterials. Available at:https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/548389
Zielinska, A., Costa, B., Ferreira, M. V., et al. (2020). Nanotoxicology and Nanosafety: Safety-by-Design and Testing at a Glance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(13); 4657. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph17134657
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.
Written by
Benedette CuffariAfter completing her Bachelor of Science in Toxicology with two minors in Spanish and Chemistry in 2016, Benedette continued her studies to complete her Master of Science in Toxicology in May of 2018. During graduate school, Benedette investigated the dermatotoxicity of mechlorethamine and bendamustine; two nitrogen mustard alkylating agents that are used in anticancer therapy.
var pageContentLanguages = { pageContentQsParmName: 'ArticleID', pageContentId: 5837, langs: [ { code: 'en', name: 'English', current: true },{ code: 'es', name: 'Español', current: false },{ code: 'fr', name: 'Français', current: false },{ code: 'pt', name: 'Português', current: false },{ code: 'it', name: 'Italiano', current: false } ] }; $(function() { BlogEngine.initContentLanguages(); }); Citations Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
- APA
Cuffari, Benedette. (2021, October 13). Why Nanotoxicology Should be the First Step Towards a Nanotechnology Future. AZoNano. Retrieved on October 13, 2021 from https://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5837. - MLA
Cuffari, Benedette. "Why Nanotoxicology Should be the First Step Towards a Nanotechnology Future". AZoNano. 13 October 2021. . - Chicago
Cuffari, Benedette. "Why Nanotoxicology Should be the First Step Towards a Nanotechnology Future". AZoNano. https://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5837. (accessed October 13, 2021). - Harvard
Cuffari, Benedette. 2021. Why Nanotoxicology Should be the First Step Towards a Nanotechnology Future. AZoNano, viewed 13 October 2021, https://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5837.
Cancel reply to comment
Leave your feedback Login (Logout)
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 870292.
