Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Toxicokinetics and Interaction of
Nanopartic
les with Biological Matrices
Claude Emond
CONTENTS
9.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 165
9.2 Absorption .................................................................................................. 166
9.2.1 Oral Absorption ............................................................................. 167
9.2.2 Inhalation ........................................................................................ 169
9.2.3 Cutaneous Route ............................................................................ 171
9.3 Distribution ................................................................................................. 172
9.4 Excretion ...................................................................................................... 172
9.5 Discussion and Conclusion ...................................................................... 173
References ............................................................................................................. 174
9.1 Introduction
Toxicological studies provide information on the defined disease mecha-
nisms, based on dose-response relations and related to the nanoparticle (NP)
characteristics that influence toxicity, including the size, surface area, chem-
istry or reactivity, solubility, and shape. Toxicology studies aim to determine
the biological plausibility of health effects from NPs and to identify cascades
of mechanisms that are causal for the gradual transition from the physiologi-
cal status toward pathophysiological alterations, and eventually chronic dis-
eases. Until recently, all toxicological experiments focusing on NPs described
the external exposure or the
in vitro
characterization [1]. Techniques for mea-
suring NPs in various biological and chemical matrices are also outlined
[2]. The toxicology field is currently well positioned to understand the bio-
logical relevance between NPs and biological issues. Nanotoxicokinetics is
a branch of toxicology and a new area in which this field evaluates NPs at
the local and systemic levels. Nanotoxicokinetics is focused on understand-
ing and predicting what is going to happen to the xenobiotics in the biota.
Typically, we segment nanotoxicokinetics into four different steps, namely
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). In the past, we
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