Abstract
Several forms of nanocellulose, notably cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibrillated cellulose, exhibit attractive property matrices and are potentially useful for a large number of industrial applications. These include the paper and cardboard industry, use as reinforcing filler in polymer composites, basis for low-density foams, additive in adhesives and paints, as well as a wide variety of food, hygiene, cosmetic, and medical products. Although the commercial exploitation of nanocellulose has already commenced, little is known as to the potential biological impact of nanocellulose, particularly in its raw form. This review provides a comprehensive and critical review of the current state of knowledge of nanocellulose in this format. Overall, the data seems to suggest that when investigated under realistic doses and exposure scenarios, nanocellulose has a limited associated toxic potential, albeit certain forms of nanocellulose can be associated with more hazardous biological behavior due to their specific physical characteristics.
Highlights
Since the emergence of nanotechnology as a field in its own right, a continuously increasing number of new nanomaterials have been developed, which are potentially useful for applications that range from healthcare products to high-performance engineering materials [1,2,3]
Crystalline sheets pack in a parallel fashion, building up filiform structures that can be isolated from the native material as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which are referred to as nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) or cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs)
Summary It is apparent from the research conducted regarding the potential hazard posed by various forms of nanocellulose, especially towards human and environmental health, that the current understanding of its structure–activity relationship is equivocal and incoherent
Summary
Since the emergence of nanotechnology as a field in its own right, a continuously increasing number of new nanomaterials have been developed, which are potentially useful for applications that range from healthcare products to high-performance engineering materials [1,2,3]. The fiber paradigm highlights the importance of the form, shape and biological interaction of a substance when brought into contact with mammalian cells/tissue(s) Based on this understanding, and with the development of a disease commonly referred to as ‘brown lung’, observed in workers of the cotton industry exposed to cotton dust [62,63,64], several studies investigated the possible health risks associated with cellulosic materials. Jeong and co-workers used bacterial cellulose (BC; no dimensions given [81]) in in vitro experiments with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) [81] Neither of their experiments measuring cytotoxicity via the MTT assay, observing the morphology with light microscopy or assessing apoptosis/necrosis (Annexin V/Propidium Iodide staining) and cell-cycle via flow cytometry, showed significant altered outcomes after 24 or 48 h towards the exposure to high BC concentrations (0.1–1 mg/mL) compared to the negative control.
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