Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
27
Nanotoxic
ity
Rui Chen and Chunying Chen
CONTENTS
27.1. Introduction......................................................................................................................... 599
27.2. Physicochemical.Characteristics.of.Nanoparticles.Determine.Their.Toxic.Potential..... 600
27.2.1. Particle.Size.and.Surface.Areas.and.Solubility.................................................. 601
27.2.2. Nanostructure.and.Shape..................................................................................... 601
27.2.3. Agglomeration.and.Aggregation......................................................................... 604
27.2.4. Chemical.Composition.and.Purity.and.Impurities........................................... 605
27.2.5. Surface.Modiication.and.Surface.Charges......................................................... 605
27.3. Absorption,.Translocation,.and.Distribution.of.Nanoparticles.In.Vivo..................... 606
27.4. Target.Organs.and.Toxicological.Effects.of.Nanoparticles.......................................... 609
27.4.1. Respiratory.System................................................................................................. 609
27.4.2. Cardiovascular.System.......................................................................................... 611
27.4.3. Central.Nervous.System........................................................................................ 613
27.4.4. Reproductive.System.............................................................................................. 615
27.5. Conclusions.and.Perspectives.......................................................................................... 615
References..................................................................................................................................... 616
27.1 Introduction
Nanobiotechnology.focuses.on.the.biological.effects.and.applications.of.nanoparticles.that.
include.drug.encapsulation,.nanotherapeutics,.vaccine.development,.biocatalysis,.materials.
science,.and.synthetic.biology..Nano-sized.materials.(generally.deined.as.having.at.least.
one.dimension.less.than.100.nm).provide.unique.and.desirable.properties,.which.have.led.
to.the.formation.of.nanomedicine.and.nanobiotechology..For.instance,.nanoparticles.have.
great. promise. for. advanced. drug. delivery. applications,. which. can. be. attributed. to. their.
signiicant.advantages..These.advantages.include.improved.bioavailability,.increased.blood.
circulation.time,.and.selective.distribution.in.the.organs.or.tissues,.all.of.which.can.be.further.
optimized.by.engineering.the.design.of.the.physicochemical.characteristics.of.nanoparticles.
in.nanobiotechology..The.study.of.undesirable.or.adverse.effects.caused.by.nanomaterials.
has. formed. another. research. branch:. nanotoxicology.. Compared. to. their. large. bulk.
counterparts,.the.nanomaterials.possess.quite.different.physicochemical.properties,.such.
as.ultrahigh.reactivity,.high.surface.area.to.mass.ratio,.quantum.effects,.etc..These.unique.
properties. have. also. raised. concerns. about. the. potential. for. unintended. consequences.
of. these. materials. on. human. health. and. the. environment.. Various. nanomaterials. with.
unique.optical.and.physical.properties,.such.as.quantum.dots.(QDs),.gold.nanoparticles,.
599