Abstract
Biological effects of low-dose ionizing radiation (IR) have been unclear until now. Saliva, because of the ease of collection, could be valuable in studying low-dose IR effects by means of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The objective of our study was to compare the salivary SER spectra recorded before and after low-dose IR exposure in the case of pediatric patients (PP). Unstimulated saliva was collected from ten PP before and after irradiation with a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) machine used for diagnostic purposes. The SERS measurements have been recorded on dried saliva samples using a solid nanosilver plasmonic substrate synthesized using an original method developed in our laboratory. The experimental results showed that salivary SER spectra are dominated by three vibrational bands (441,735 and 2107 cm−1) that can be assigned to bending and stretching vibrations of salivary thiocyanate (SCN-). After exposure, an immediate increase of vibrational bands assigned to SCN- has been recorded in the case of all samples, probably as a result of IR interaction with oral cavity. This finding suggests that SCN- could be used as a valuable biomarker for the detection and identification of low-dose radiation effects.
Highlights
Ionizing radiation (IR) is responsible for different biological effects that are strongly dependent on radiation type, exposure patterns and dose levels [1]
The SER spectra recorded in these conditions are largely steric repulsion effect) and makes the adsorption of small biomolecules to the metallic substrate dominated by proteins, making the identification of small biomarkers by means of SERS difficult to almost impossible
We have shown that a sudden increase of its salivary concentration as a consequence of irradiation can be experimentally proven by means of SERS
Summary
Ionizing radiation (IR) is responsible for different biological effects that are strongly dependent on radiation type, exposure patterns and dose levels [1]. Diagnostics 2019, 9, 101 of high-dose IR exposures have been widely reported in the literature [2,3], the risks of low-dose radiation still remain an important scientific open question that needs to be addressed. It has been shown that stochastic carcinogenic effects could occur as a consequence of low levels of radiation exposure with a cumulative risk over time [4]. The study of the biological effects induced by CBCT exposures could represent the missing link in our understanding of low-dose radiation effects on human health, especially in the pediatric population (PP) which is more radiosensitive and has a longer lifespan. The cumulative stochastic effects need to be properly evaluated [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
