Stable suspensions of nanogold (NG) and nanosilver (NS) with mean particle diameter 50 and 49 nm, respectively, were prepared by laser ablation of metals in water. To assess rat’s pulmonary phagocytosis response to a single intratracheal instillation of these suspensions, we used optical, transmission electron, and semi-contact atomic force microscopy. NG and NS were also repeatedly injected intraperitoneally into rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg (0.5 mg per mL of deionized water) three times a week, up to 20 injections. A group of rats was thus injected with NS after oral administration of a “bioprotective complex” (BPC) comprised of pectin, multivitamins, some amino acids, calcium, selenium, and omega-3 PUFA. After the termination of the injections, many functional and biochemical indices and histopathological features of the spleen, kidneys and liver were evaluated for signs of toxicity, and accumulation of NG or NS in these organs was measured. From the same rats, we obtained cell suspensions of different tissues for performing the RAPD test. It was demonstrated that, although both nanometals were adversely bioactive in all respects considered in this study, NS was more noxious as compared with NG, and that the BPC tested by us attenuated both the toxicity and genotoxicity of NS.

In the copper metallurgy workplace air is polluted with condensation aerosols, which a significant fraction of is presented by copper oxide particles <100 nm. In the scientific literature, there is a lack of their in vivo toxicity characterization and virtually no attempts of enhancing organism’s resistance to their impact. A stable suspension of copper oxide particles with mean (±SD) diameter 20 ± 10 nm was prepared by laser ablation of pure copper in water. It was being injected intraperitoneally to rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg (0.5 mg per mL of deionized water) three times a week up to 19 injections. In parallel, another group of rats was so injected with the same suspension against the background of oral administration of a “bio-protective complex” (BPC) comprising pectin, a multivitamin-multimineral preparation, some amino acids and fish oil rich in ω-3 PUFA. After the termination of injections, many functional and biochemical indices for the organism’s status, as well as pathological changes of liver, spleen, kidneys, and brain microscopic structure were evaluated for signs of toxicity. In the same organs we have measured accumulation of copper while their cells were used for performing the Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) test for DNA fragmentation. The same features were assessed in control rats infected intraperitoneally with water with or without administration of the BPC. The copper oxide nanoparticles proved adversely bio-active in all respects considered in this study, their active in vivo solubilization in biological fluids playing presumably an important role in both toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. The BPC proposed and tested by us attenuated systemic and target organs toxicity, as well as genotoxicity of this substance. Judging by experimental data obtained in this investigation, occupational exposures to nano-scale copper oxide particles can present a significant health risk while the further search for its management with the help of innocuous bioprotectors seems to be justified.

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Due to the expansion of the nomenclature of steel grades in the industry and the development of new special alloys with increased strength and corrosion-resistant properties, both in the metallurgical industry and in welding, researchers are very interested in the dissolution of nitrogen in metals and slag. Gas permeability of slag is one of the reasons for the appearance of gases in both the base metal and the weld metal. It is determined by two properties: solubility and mass transfer of gases in slag. In addition, in real conditions, the process of dissolving gases in slag is influenced by the transmission of gases by convection and the initial content of gases in the slag. The transfer of gases to the metal through slag is observed mainly in electroslag processes and welding under flux when there is no direct contact of molten metal with a gas phase. To evaluate the nitrogen permeability of the slag and the mechanism of nitrogen solubility in the high alloys it is necessary to have a reliable, highly sensitive and economical method of gas analysis of nitrogen in metals and slags. A review of nitrogen determination methods in steels is presented. The method of analysis of nitrogen in slags of the CaO — АL2O3 system by the Kjeldahl method was tested. The results of the analysis of slag compositions of the CaO — АL2O3 system allowed us to conclude that it is possible to use the Kjeldahl method (determination of nitrogen content in steels) for the determination of nitrogen content in slags. This technique and installation can be recommended for use by metallurgists and welders as a reliable, simple and inexpensive method for nitrogen content analysis in metals and slags.