Biosafety Of Nanomaterials Research Articles

Biological properties of nanomaterials (literature review)

In the article reviewed and discussed literature data on biological properties of nanomaterials. The biosafety of nanomaterials is a complex and multifaceted issue that demands a comprehensive, science-based approach. Modern environmental and economic factors should be considered in this regard. The EU’s nanotechnology policy is based on ‘an integrated, safe and responsible approach’ (Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee. Regulatory aspects of nanomaterials. SEC(2008) 2036 / COM(2008) 366 final). Based on the findings of toxicity and antimicrobial activity studies, metal nanoparticles appear to be a favorable choice as antibacterial agents in developing new disinfectants. However, further measures must be taken to ensure the safe and environmentally friendly use of metal nanoparticles (MeNPs). To achieve this, it is crucial to establish toxicity parameters for MeNPs of various compositions, sizes, and concentrations. These parameters must be compared and evaluated alongside the potential effects of MeNPs on laboratory and target animals (in vivo), as well as their antibacterial performance against microorganisms of different strains (in vitro). Thus, the investigation of possible hazards associated with the use of metal nanoparticles can be effectively achieved by analyzing the fundamental systemic characteristics of biological systems under both in vivo and in vitro conditions, taking into account various aspects such as physiological, biochemical, immunological, genetic and cytological responses that may be affected by toxic effects. The literary sources analysis and article publication were conducted under the National Research Foundation of Ukraine project No. 2021.01/0076 'Development of a novel, nanoparticle-based disinfectant for deactivation of pathogens causing emergent infectious diseases'

The recent development of nanozymes for targeting antibacterial, anticancer and antioxidant applications.

Nowadays, nanozymes have not only been used as biosensors in the detection field, but also their application prospects in disease treatment have been explored. Numerous nanomaterials have similar catalytic activities such as peroxidase, oxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase, and they can be used for antibacterial, anticancer and antioxidant therapy. Although there have been many studies on the application of nanozymes in the therapeutic field, the current nanozyme-based systems often lack targeting and ignore the harm to the surrounding normal tissues. Although promising, the biosafety of nanomaterials has always been the concern of researchers. To improve the treatment effect and reduce toxic and side effects, precision treatment has become the key. At present, a few studies have modified targeted molecules on nanozymes to achieve precise targeting through specific interaction with surface overexpression factors of bacteria or cells. Combined with the catalysis of nanozymes, the targeted treatment of diseases can be achieved. This review summarizes the current research of nanozyme systems in targeted antibacterial, anticancer and antioxidant applications. At the same time, the challenges and development prospects of nanozyme-based targeted therapy system are summarized. It is expected that this work will provide new ideas and new directions for the precise treatment of nanozymes.

Nanocarriers as Active Ingredients Enhancers in the Cosmetic Industry-The European and North America Regulation Challenges.

“Flawless skin is the most universally desired human feature” is an iconic statement by Desmond Morris. Skin indicates one´s health and is so important that it affects a person’s emotional and psychological behavior, these facts having propelled the development of the cosmetics industry. It is estimated that in 2023, this industry will achieve more than 800 billion dollars. This boost is due to the development of new cosmetic formulations based on nanotechnology. Nanocarriers have been able to solve problems related to active ingredients regarding their solubility, poor stability, and release. Even though nanocarriers have evident benefits, they also present some problems related to the high cost, low shelf life, and toxicity. Regulation and legislation are two controversial topics regarding the use of nanotechnology in the field of cosmetics. In this area, the U.S. FDA has taken the lead and recommended several biosafety studies and post-market safety evaluations. The lack of a global definition that identifies nanomaterials as a cosmetic ingredient is a hindrance to the development of global legislation. In the EU, the legislation regarding the biosafety of nanomaterials in cosmetics is stricter. “The cost is not the only important issue, safety and the application of alternative testing methods for toxicity are of crucial importance as well”.

Electronic Band-Engineered Nanomaterials for Biosafety and Biomedical Application

ConspectusInteraction between nanomaterials (NMs) and biological systems can be beneficial for biological functions but also can present hazards to humans. Nanotoxicology and nanomedicine, as two subdisciplines of nanotechnology, share the same goal of making safer NMs for biomedical application. NMs with unique electronic properties have been widely used for biomedical applications, such as bacterial inactivation, wound healing, tumor therapy, and Alzheimer’s disease therapy. Meanwhile, the biosafety of NMs has become a hot topic, and development of effective “safe-by-design” strategies will be beneficial for the wide applications of NMs in the biomedical field. However, it is currently hard to establish a property–activity relationship between NMs and their biosafety and biomedical applications, especially for electronic band structure including conduction band energy (Ec), valence band energy (Ev), Fermi energy (Ef), and bandgap energy (Eg). Eg determines the suitable lights used to excite NMs, and Ec and Ev determine the redox abilities of photoinduced electrons and holes, while Ef dominates the charge transfer process within NMs. Therefore, through modulating the electronic band structure of NMs, not only can the biosafety of NMs be elevated, but also the photoelectronic performance can be improved, providing a profound understanding to the design of functional NMs for the biomedical application with excellent biocompatibility.In this account, we focus on our recent progress in electronic band structure-modulated NMs for biosafety and biomedical application. First, we investigate the toxicities of NMs with different Ec levels and establish safe-by-design strategies to make safer NMs through modulating their electronic properties, such as tuning Ec values of NMs out of the biological redox potential range and tuning the Ef edge far away from the Ev edge. Second, we propose that deep level defect, resonance energy transfer, and narrow band gap intensely correlate with the photothermal performance of NMs and rationally designed heterostructures can significantly improve the photothermal conversion efficacies of these NMs. Third, we introduce a series of NMs with unique heterostructure to promote photoinduced electron–hole spatial separation and improve photodynamic performance for antibacterial and anticancer applications. Among these heterostructures, the thermally retractable heterostructure can create a favorable microenvironment for photodynamic therapy; Z-scheme heterostructure can simultaneously produce oxygen and reactive oxygen species for photodynamic therapy against hypoxic tumor; plasmon–pyroelectric heterostructure can thermally generate reactive oxygen species in an oxygen-independent manner for hypoxic tumor therapy. Furthermore, we describe the photooxidation and antioxidant abilities of NMs for treating Alzheimer’s disease through inhibiting amyloid-β self-assembly and scarifying reactive oxygen species. Finally, we propose the challenges and perspectives of electronic band structure-modulated biomedical application of NMs. We expect that this field will attract increasing research interest and create new opportunities for biosafety and biomedical studies of NMs.

Research Advances on the Adverse Effects of Nanomaterials in a Model Organism, Caenorhabditis elegans.

Along with the rapid development of nanotechnology, the biosafety assessment of nanotechnology products, including nanomaterials (NMs), has become more and more important. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a valuable model organism that has been widely used in the field of biology because of its excellent advantages, including low cost, small size, short life span, and highly conservative genomes with vertebral animals. In recent years, the number of nanotoxicological researchers using C. elegans has been growing. According to these available studies, the present review classified the adverse effects of NMs in C. elegans into systematic, cellular, and molecular toxicity, and focused on summarizing and analyzing the underlying mechanisms of metal, metal oxide, and nonmetallic NMs causing toxic effects in C. elegans. Our findings provide insights into what further studies are needed to assess the biosafety of NMs in the ecosystem using C. elegans. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2406-2424. © 2021 SETAC.

BIONANOTECHNOLOGIES: SYNTHESIS OF METALS’ NANOPARTICLES WITH USING PLANTS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY: A REVIEW

The basic principles of bionanotechnology and modern "green" chemistry are considered. The methods of synthesizing nanoparticles such as "top-down" and "bottom-up" are analyzed. The advantages of "green" synthesis of nanoparticles from plant raw materials with unique properties and a wide range of applications are presented. There are systematized factors that influence the biosynthesis of nanoparticles: the nature of the plant extract, the pH of the reaction mixture, the temperature of the incubation, the reaction time, the concentration and the electrochemical potential of the metal ion. The prospect of using nanotechnological approaches for the whole chain of agricultural production, as well as in the food industry, which will promote the creation of new nanomaterials, is shown. Nanotechnologies are successfully used to ensure the quality of food, enrichment of food products with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, improvement of organoleptic properties, prolongation of life and antimicrobial packaging of food products. The focus is on the biosafety of nanomaterials whose properties are multifaceted, ambiguous and require a comprehensive, safe, responsible and scientifically sound approach.

Isolated lymphatic vessel lumen perfusion system for assessing nanomaterial movements and nanomaterial-induced responses in lymphatic vessels

Nanomaterials have recently been investigated extensively for a wide variety of biological applications, including drug delivery, bioimaging, and regenerative medicine. However, they have found little clinical use because of the lack of an established method for assessing their safety in living organisms. In particular, much remains unknown about the biokinetics of nanomaterials. Nanomaterials may be administered intravenously and reach various tissues via the bloodstream or injected directly into subcutaneous tissue or lesions such as tumors. These nanomaterials are known to enter lymphatic vessels, migrate to the lymph system, and accumulate in lymph nodes. To clarify their biokinetics, therefore, importance should be placed on elucidating their interactions with lymphatic vessels. However, little is known about their movements in, and influence on, the lymphatic vessels. In this study, we developed and assessed the isolated lymphatic vessel lumen perfusion system to allow us to visually and quantitatively elucidate the interactions between nanomaterials and lymphatic vessels, and thereby the biosafety of nanomaterials. The vessel is removed from a living rat and studied in vitro. This perfusion system, compared to in vivo examinations, allows higher-resolution, more detailed examination of the movement of nanomaterials and the lymphatic vessel’s reaction to this movement. In addition, the new system also enables both quantitative and histological assessment of a single lymphatic vessel’s physiological reaction to nanomaterials. Use of this system to provide essential information about nanomaterial biokinetics is expected to contribute significantly to the development of a wide variety of biological applications of nanomaterials.

Assessing two-way interactions between cells and inorganic nanoparticles.

A safe and effective use of nanoparticles in biology and medicine requires a thorough understanding, down to the molecular level, of how nanoparticles interact with cells in the physiological environment. This study evaluated the two-way interaction between inorganic nanomaterials (INMs) and cells from A549 human lung carcinoma cell line. The interaction between silica and zinc oxide INMs and cells was investigated using both standard methods and advanced characterization techniques. The effect of INMs on cell properties was evaluated in terms of cell viability, chemical modifications, and volume changes. The effect of cells and culture medium on INMs was evaluated using dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). No cytotoxic effect was detected in the case of silicon oxide INMs, while for high doses of zinc oxide INMs a reduction of cell survival was observed. Also, increased cell volume was recorded after 24 h incubation of cells with zinc oxide INMs. A better dimensional homogeneity and colloidal stability was observed by DLS for silicon oxide INMs than for zinc oxide INMs. SEM-EDS analysis showed the effectiveness of the adopted dispersion procedure and confirmed in the case of zinc oxide INMs the presence of residual substances derived from organosilane coating. HPLC and GC-MS performed on INMs aqueous dispersions after 24 h incubation showed an additional peak related to the presence of an organic contaminant only in the case of zinc oxide INMs. FTIR Chemical Imaging carried out directly on the cells showed, in case of incubation with zinc oxide INMs, a modification of the spectra in correspondence of phospholipids, nucleic acids and proteins characteristic absorption bands when compared with untreated cells. Overall, our results confirm the importance of developing new experimental methods and techniques for improving the knowledge about the biosafety of nanomaterials.

Characteristics of the response of the microalga (Dunaliella viridis) to cerium compounds in culture

Recently, nanobiotechnology has been developing intensively; therefore, various properties of nanoparticles, which depend on their origin, concentration, and size, are of interest. It is known that CeO2 nanoparticles cause a positive biological effect. These particles are able to penetrate through biomembranes. At the same time, there are assumptions about a high degree of biological risks when using nanomaterials, and it is obvious that the biosafety of nanomaterials is decisive in the development of new products, including for medicine. The cytotoxicity of samples of cerium salts and cerium dioxide nanoparticles of different sizes was assessed at different concentrations using D. viridis. The cytotoxicity level by morphological and functional disorders of D. viridis was investigated, as determined by the change in cell shape, accumulation of inclusions, loss of flagellum, change in nature and movement, the formation of micro- and macroaggregates by D. viridis cells and exometabolite release. The cytotoxicity coefficient was calculated as a quotient of total detected changes divided by their number. It was shown that cerium salts (cerium (IV) ammonium nitrate and cerium (III) chloride) had pronounced cytotoxicity, which exceeded cytotoxicity values of the control by 7 and 6 times, respectively. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles with a size of 6 nm at a concentration of 0.01 M showed intermediate cytotoxicity, which exceeded control values by 3.5 times, and after the effect of nanoparticles with a size of 2 nm at a concentration of 0.1 M, the cytotoxicity coefficient corresponded to control values. The addition of inactivated blood serum to the incubation mixture resulted in a decreased cytotoxic effect of cerium dioxide. The use of D. viridis as a test system will supplement the arsenal of biotesting tools for nanomaterials and the study of the mechanisms of their effect.

Study of Biosafety of Nanomaterials in Sports Engineering

Nanomaterials have widely been applied in sports engineering, such as sports stadiums, field turf, tracks, sports-wears, equipments and supplements. Inevitably, nanomaterials may cause some potential adverse effects on the cells, lung, liver, kidney, and brain, respectively. Nanmaterials have been fully used in sports fields, and its biosafety should also be focused.

Proteins: Biosafety and Bioapplication of Nanomaterials by Designing Protein–Nanoparticle Interactions (Small 9–10/2013)

When nanomaterials (NMs) enter biosystems, they interact with various biomolecules, especially proteins, forming a protein corona on the surface. Understanding how nanoparticles (NPs) interact with proteins is crucial for bioapplications and for the biosafety of NMs. On page 1635, A. Cao and co-workers summarize the current understanding of protein–NP interactions. Guidelines for improving bioapplication performance and reducing the potential biosafety hazard of NMs by designing the protein–NP interactions are discussed, along with future directions and challenges in this exciting field.

Biosafety and Bioapplication of Nanomaterials by Designing Protein–Nanoparticle Interactions

The protein-nanoparticle (NP) interface is a current frontier of multiple disciplines, full of challenges and opportunities. The unique behaviors of nanomaterials (NMs) bring many exciting applications, and also raise safety concerns. Beyond bioapplications, various NMs could also enter human bodies from the environment. When entering human bodies, NPs interact with various biomolecules, especially proteins, forming a protein corona. This protein-NP complex is what the biosystems 'see' and 'respond to'. Therefore, understanding how NPs interact with proteins is crucial for both bioapplications and the biosafety of NMs. In this review, the current understanding of protein-NP interactions is summarized, including the theoretical background, experimental results, and computational progresses. Guidelines for improving bioapplication performance and reducing the potential biosafety hazard of NMs by designing the protein-NP interactions are discussed, along with future directions and challenges in this exciting field.