Advanced nuclear analytical and related techniques for the growing challenges in nanotoxicology

Abstract

Manufactured nanomaterials with novel physicochemical properties are an important basis for nanosciences and related technologies. Nanotoxicology, aiming to understand the principles of interactions at the nano-bio interface and the relationship between the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials and their toxicological profiles, has become a new frontier in nanoscience. Nearly one decade of nanotoxicology research has shown that the interactions between nanomaterials and proteins, cells, animals, humans and the environment as well as the underlying mechanisms of toxicity for nanomaterials are remarkably complicated, requiring dedicated analytical methodology and tools. Because of their advantages of absolute quantification, high sensitivity, excellent accuracy and precision, low matrix effects and non-destructiveness, nuclear analytical techniques have been playing important roles in the study of nanotoxicology. A systematic summary and comprehensive review of the advanced nuclear analytical and related techniques in nanotoxicology is greatly needed. In this review article, we present a comprehensive overview of nuclear analytical techniques applied to the physicochemical characterization of nanomaterials, structural analysis of bio-nano interactions, visualization of nanomaterials in vitro, quantification of bio-distribution, bio-accumulation, and transformation of nanomaterials in vivo. As important complementary tools, optical imaging technologies are also highlighted. Future directions regarding advanced nuclear analytical approaches for nanotoxicology are also discussed. The rapid development of advanced light source-based techniques will enable new high-throughput screening techniques and provide high sensitivity with low detection limits, which are required for the distribution, imaging, and structural analysis of nanomaterials, and the molecular information of biomarkers for all aspects of nanotoxicology.

Toxicity of cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanobeads in Chlorella vulgaris: Interaction, adaptation and oxidative stress

“…Also the scientific world has the dilemma of lacking prior characterizing of the NPs, which not only reduces the significance of these studies, but renders them redundant (Krug, 2014). This necessitates the study of principal interactions involved by physicochemical parameters of nanomaterials with biological interfaces (Chen et al, 2013). Nanomaterials interfere with analytical techniques due to their inherent property of fluorescence/ absorbance, not only with assay components, but also with analytes (Ong et al, 2014;Maccormack et al, 2012).…”

Use of Synchrotron Radiation-Analytical Techniques To Reveal Chemical Origin of Silver-Nanoparticle Cytotoxicity

“…To analyze chemical information, SR-X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) is a sensitive fingerprint to nondestructively determine chemical species of element in complex biological samples. 55 Herein, we studied the correlation of chemical information on AgNPs with their cytotoxic effects to human peripheral blood monocytes (THP-1). We combined SR-TXM 3D imaging and SR-XANES with measurements from conventional approaches like ICP-MS and TEM to capture key chemical information like intracellular accumulation and the changes in their chemical species.…”

An in vivo evaluation of acute toxicity of cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles in larval-embryo Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

“…This necessitates the study of principle interactions in the light of their physicochemical parameters at biological interfaces (Chen et al, 2013).…”