Nanotoxicity, Cytotoxicity, and Genotoxicity Mechanisms of Nanomaterials

Abstract

There are many points of intersection between nanoscience and nanotechnology and the biological sciences. A recent trend in nanotechnology has been to investigate the interactions of nanomaterials with biological systems, known as nano-bio-interactions. The significance of these studies is the identification and establishment of design rules that govern the engineering of nanodevices. Nanotechnology and biotechnology will coalesce to produce nanoscale systems and devices that use biological principles, since many of the components of cells are already constructed on the nanoscale level (i.e., 0.1–100 nm in diameter). Humans may be exposed to nanomaterials through inhalation (respiratory tract), skin contact, ingestion, and injection (blood circulation). The unique chemical and biological properties of nanomaterials make them useful in many products for humans. Although the unique properties of nanomaterials have resulted in an exponential increase in their use, cytotoxic and genotoxic data for most manufactured nanomaterials have not been published at a correspondingly high rate.