Early-stage nanosafety assessment as a critical tool for innovative nanomaterials development

Louro, Henriqueta; Ventura, Célia; Rolo, Dora; Vital, Nádia; Pinto, Fátima; Silva, Maria João

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/7852

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Abstract(s)

The perspectives of innovation through the use of nanomaterials (NMs) in key sectors such as agriculture, food industry, medicine, energy, environment, and electronics, has exponentially increased their development, production, and application. However, a major concern for public health is that some materials for long being considered safe for humans, e.g., titanium dioxide or cellulose fibers, can acquire different properties at the nanoscale that, despite being more attractive for industrial applications, may also elicit nano-bio interactions and toxic effects. Furthermore, their physicochemical properties can be influenced by the surrounding matrix or by physiological processes, such as digestion or inhalation, that modify their primary physicochemical properties. These secondary features may also influence the NMs toxicity and associated adverse health outcomes, such chronic inflammation and/or cancer. Therefore, the safety assessment of NMs must be conducted early in their development process and follow the nanotoxicology principles, in order to unveil the most relevant physicochemical characteristics that determine their potential adverse effects. In this work, the nanotoxicological investigation for the case studies of titanium dioxide NMs and nanocelluloses are presented. They illustrate the establishment of relationships between NMs characteristics and their toxicological properties and how they may direct the synthesis of innovative and safer NMs. If such tool is used at an early stage of NMs or product development, it moves industry towards a safe and sustainable by design (SSBD) approach that will enable safety to keep pace with innovation for the benefit of citizens. The Portuguese ISO/CEN Technical Commission for Nanotechnologies (CT194) is acknowledged for its role in bridging the gap between science and industry.