Hazards of nanoparticles to the environment and human health

纳米技术是一门涉及在纳米尺度上操纵材料和制造设备的科学。这些过程经常产生纳米粒子和其他纳米结构，如纳米管和纳米棒，具有一个或多个100纳米或更小的尺寸，被合成为具有专用应用的特殊特性。纳米技术被描述为下一次技术革命，但也引起了人们对纳米粒子可能危害人类或生物圈的担忧。很可能导致纳米颗粒新特性的相同因素也可能是其潜在危害的来源。纳米颗粒的效力是由于它们的反应性随着尺寸的减小而增加，这是由于颗粒变小而增加表面体积比的结果。因此，纳米颗粒通常具有增强的功能，但散装形式的良性材料在纳米尺度上可能是危险的。此外，纳米级颗粒物质更容易被吸入、摄入或吸收，意外暴露的风险也会增加。纳米粒子目前被用于200多种商业产品，包括防晒霜、面霜、化妆品、织物涂层、电子产品、杀菌剂和药物输送系统，并且不可避免地通过制造排放、意外泄漏或使用进入环境。工程纳米粒子的环境行为目前尚不清楚，它们对人类健康的潜在危害是一个主要问题。在这个概念验证项目中，我们提议通过研究两种目前广泛使用和未来应用潜力的工程纳米材料的反应性，开始研究纳米颗粒在吸入和可能过渡到血液后的行为：多壁碳纳米管和二氧化钛纳米颗粒，与合成肺衬里液体和血浆。我们将测试它们的物理性质、大小、形状和结构如何影响它们在溶液中的行为，特别是它们的溶解度、表面积、表面电荷、表面粗糙度和聚集倾向，在两种类型的介质中，旨在模拟血浆（模拟体液）和肺衬里液（模拟肺分泌物）。在这项工作完成后，将用原代人肺细胞和细胞系测试反应性最强和最弱的颗粒，以获得概念验证信息，以确定反应性最强的颗粒是否也倾向于对参与肺组织对颗粒的一般防御的肺细胞造成最大伤害。

Nanotechnology is the science that involves manipulating material and creating devices at the nanometre scale. These processes often produce nanoparticles and other nanostructures such as nanotubes and nanorods, with one or more dimensions of 100 nanometers or less, synthesised to have special characteristics for dedicated applications. Nanotechnology has been described as the next technological revolution, but has also prompted concerns about the potential of nanoparticles to harm humans or the biosphere. It is likely that the same factors responsible for the novel properties of nanoparticles may be the source of their potential hazard. Nanoparticle potency is due to their increasing reactivity as their size decreases, the result of an increase in the surface to bulk ratio, as particles become smaller. Hence nanoparticles generally have enhanced functionality but materials benign in bulk form may be hazardous at the nanoscale. Also, nanoscale particulate matter is simply more likely to be inhaled, ingested or absorbed and risks from accidental exposure are heightened. Nanoparticles are currently employed in over 200 commercial products including sunblocks, creams, cosmetics, fabric coatings, electronics, biocides and drug delivery systems and are inevitably entering the environment, either through manufacturing discharge, accidental spillage, or use. The environmental behaviour of engineered nanoparticles is currently unknown and their potential to harm human health is a major concern. In this proof-of-concept project, we propose to initiate an investigation of the behaviour of nanoparticles, following inhalation and possible transition into the blood stream, by investigating the reactivity of two types of engineered nanomaterials of broad current use and future application potential: multiwall carbon nanotubes and titania nanoparticles, with synthetic lung lining liquid and blood plasma. We will test how their physical properties, size, shape and structure, affect their behaviour in solution, specifically their solubility, surface area, surface charge, surface roughness and tendency for agglomeration, in two types of media, aiming to simulate blood plasma (simulated body fluid) and lung lining liquid (simulated lung secretions). Following completion of this work, the most and least reactive particles will be tested with primary human lung cells and cell lines to acquire proof-of-concept information as to whether the most reactive particles also tend to cause most harm to lung cells involved in the general defence of lung tissue against particulates.