Biological Safety of Nanoscale Materials

The study of potential health effects of nanomaterials is an important area of research, as evidenced by a growing number of studies. For example uncoated fullerenes have been shown to cause oxidative damage and depletion of glutathione reserves in the brain of juvenile largemouth bass. It has also been shown that nanoparticles can cross the blood-brain barrier and that quantum dots exhibit some degree of cytotoxicity. Single-walled carbon nanotubes also show toxic effects, e.g., in mice dose-dependent epitheliod granulomas and interstitial inflammation results, and proinflammatory cytokines are induced. Such results may not be general, however, as exemplified by the inconsistent levels of pulmonary toxicity of SWNT in rats. Our studies at Rensselaer have thus far provided evidence that nanoceramics, nanoceramic/polymer composites, carbon-nanotube/polymer composites, and single-wall carbon nanotube/protein composites are compatible with living cells; however these studies were limited in scope and not directed toward a more comprehensive toxicological analysis.