Nanocharacterization, Materials Modeling, and Research Integrity as Enablers of Sound Risk Assessment: Designing Responsible Nanotechnology

A structure-activity approach towards the toxicity assessment of multicomponent metal oxide nanomaterials

The increase of human and environmental exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) due to the emergence of nanotechnology has raised concerns over their safety. The challenging nature of in vivo and in vitro toxicity assessment methods for ENMs, has led to emerging in silico techniques for ENM toxicity assessment, such as structure-activity relationship (SAR) models. Although such approaches have been extensively developed for the case of single-component nanomaterials, the case of multicomponent nanomaterials (MCNMs) has not been thoroughly addressed. In this paper, we present a SAR approach for the case metal and metal oxide MCNMs. The developed SAR framework is built using a dataset of 796 individual toxicity measurements for 340 different MCNMs, towards human cells, mammalian cells, and bacteria. The novelty of the approach lies in the multicomponent nature of the nanomaterials, as well as the size, diversity and heterogeneous nature of the dataset used. Furthermore, the approach used to calculate descriptors for surface loaded MCNMs, and the mechanistic insight provided by the model results can assist the understanding of MCNM toxicity. The developed models are able to correctly predict the toxic class of the MCNMs in the heterogeneous dataset, towards a wide range of human cells, mammalian cells and bacteria. Using the abovementioned approach, the principal toxicity pathways and mechanisms are identified, allowing a more holistic understanding of metal oxide MCNM toxicity.

Application of Inorganic Nanomaterials in Cultural Heritage Conservation, Risk of Toxicity, and Preventive Measures

Nanotechnology has allowed for significant progress in architectural, artistic, archaeological, or museum heritage conservation for repairing and preventing damages produced by deterioration agents (weathering, contaminants, or biological actions). This review analyzes the current treatments using nanomaterials, including consolidants, biocides, hydrophobic protectives, mechanical resistance improvers, flame-retardants, and multifunctional nanocomposites. Unfortunately, nanomaterials can affect human and animal health, altering the environment. Right now, it is a priority to stop to analyze its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the aims are to raise awareness about the nanotoxicity risks during handling and the subsequent environmental exposure to all those directly or indirectly involved in conservation processes. It reports the human-body interaction mechanisms and provides guidelines for preventing or controlling its toxicity, mentioning the current toxicity research of main compounds and emphasizing the need to provide more information about morphological, structural, and specific features that ultimately contribute to understanding their toxicity. It provides information about the current documents of international organizations (European Commission, NIOSH, OECD, Countries Normative) about worker protection, isolation, laboratory ventilation control, and debris management. Furthermore, it reports the qualitative risk assessment methods, management strategies, dose control, and focus/receptor relationship, besides the latest trends of using nanomaterials in masks and gas emissions control devices, discussing their risk of toxicity.

Carbon Graphitization: Towards Greener Alternatives to Develop Nanomaterials for Targeted Drug Delivery

Carbon nanomaterials have attracted great interest for their unique physico-chemical properties for various applications, including medicine and, in particular, drug delivery, to solve the most challenging unmet clinical needs. Graphitization is a process that has become very popular for their production or modification. However, traditional conditions are energy-demanding; thus, recent efforts have been devoted to the development of greener routes that require lower temperatures or that use waste or byproducts as a carbon source in order to be more sustainable. In this concise review, we analyze the progress made in the last five years in this area, as well as in their development as drug delivery agents, focusing on active targeting, and conclude with a perspective on the future of the field.

Self-Assembling Peptides and Carbon Nanomaterials Join Forces for Innovative Biomedical Applications

Self-assembling peptides and carbon nanomaterials have attracted great interest for their respective potential to bring innovation in the biomedical field. Combination of these two types of building blocks is not trivial in light of their very different physico-chemical properties, yet great progress has been made over the years at the interface between these two research areas. This concise review will analyze the latest developments at the forefront of research that combines self-assembling peptides with carbon nanostructures for biological use. Applications span from tissue regeneration, to biosensing and imaging, and bioelectronics.

An integrated approach for assessing the in vitro and in vivo redox-related effects of nanomaterials

Over the last few decades, nanotechnology has risen to the forefront of both the research and industrial interest, resulting in the manufacture and utilization of various nanomaterials, as well as in their integration into a wide range of fields. However, the consequent elevated exposure to such materials raises serious concerns regarding their effects on human health and safety. Existing scientific data indicate that the induction of oxidative stress, through the excessive generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), might be the principal mechanism of exerting their toxicity. Meanwhile, a number of nanomaterials exhibit antioxidant properties, either intrinsic or resulting from their functionalization with conventional antioxidants. Considering that their redox properties are implicated in the manifestation of their biological effects, we propose an integrated approach for the assessment of the redox-related activities of nanomaterials at three biological levels (in vitro-cell free systems, cell cultures, in vivo). Towards this direction, a battery of translational biomarkers is recommended, and a series of reliable protocols are presented in detail. The aim of the present approach is to acquire a better understanding with respect to the biological actions of nanomaterials in the interrelated fields of Redox Biology and Toxicology.