Moving toward exposure and risk evaluation of nanomaterials: challenges and future directions

Abstract

Nanotechnology, the commercial development of engineered nanomaterials, promises breakthrough innovations by enhancing the performance of existing consumer products and enabling development of new devices, architectures, and applications. Although these materials and applications are being developed at an explosive pace, a fundamental understanding of any potential human health and environmental risks resulting from exposure throughout the lifecycle of these materials has not advanced as rapidly. Past experience has demonstrated that successful introduction of a new technology occurs more readily if it is precipitated by a robust appreciation for any inherent risks associated with the technology. Such understanding allows the timely development of occupational and consumer exposure standards that might be needed to protect human health and the environment. Although risk is recognized as the product of hazard and exposure, too often exposure patterns are poorly characterized, and risk is based primarily or exclusively on the hazard characterization. The extent of exposure to nanomaterials in currently available commercial products is relatively unknown. Given the number of commercial products that claim to contain engineered nanomaterials, it is possible that human and environmental exposure to these materials is widespread. This paper is intended to highlight the importance of exposure assessment for determining the potential risks of nanomaterials. In essence, this is a call to action to the community of exposure scientists, toxicologists, and risk assessors to develop, consider, and incorporate requisite exposure information in the risk assessment of nanomaterials. Without an integrated approach, it will be difficult to meaningfully assess the risks of nanomaterials, realize their potential benefits, and foster their sustainable development.

Nanoparticles attenuate P-glycoprotein/MDR1 function in A549 human alveolar epithelial cells

“…Nevertheless, at present we are only beginning to understand the opportunities, challenges and potential hazards of nanomaterials [6]. P-glycoprotein/MDR1 (P-gp) is a 170-kDa membrane glycoprotein encoded by the ABCB1 gene.…”

Nanoparticle pollution and associated increasing potential risks on environment and human health: a case study of China

“…MNPs released into the biosphere can occur once or multiple times throughout the lifecycle of consumer products that contain nanomaterials via normal product use, destruction, recycling, or disposal. Figure 1 shows the main movement of MNP through its typical life cycle (Thomas et al 2009). Many of the most important health and safety concerns of MNPs are due to lack of knowledge of the health effect, the levels of occupation, the types of exposure to MNPs during the production, the use of MNPs, as well as in applying different MNPs in applications of nanotechnologies for consumers and other products (Savolainen et al 2010a, b).…”

“…The potential risk also exists via skin adsorption. The workers who engage in MNP-involved manufacturing process would be the first to contact MNPs, and the following individuals would be the workers in occupational settings who characterize the MNPs (e.g., size ranges of discreet particles, agglomeration) and quantify the amount of MNPs (Thomas et al 2009). …”

“…Fig. 1 Potential exposure risk in manufactured nanoparticle (MNP) process through a typical life cycle adapted from Thomas et al (2009) An important source of PM 2.5 is from diesel exhaust, which is a complex mixture of hundreds of constituents in either gas or particle form (Wichmann 2007). The diesel exhaust typically mainly consist of carbon and absorbed organic compounds and other metals and trace elements, thus they are highly respirable and have a large surface area (Risslera et al 2012).…”

A pilot study towards ranking occupational health risk factors emanating from engineered nanoparticles: review of a decade of literature

“…The uncertainty surrounding nanomaterials is due also to a lack of standardisation of characterisation procedures and toxicological testing methods [17][18][19][20][21]. Some research groups [22], the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other standards organisations [23][24][25][26] are developing procedures and other guidelines for the use and the characterisation of nanomaterials in order to help fi ll this void.…”