Preliminary Study to Investigate Possible Cyto-Genotoxic and Oxidative Effects of Few-Layer Graphene in Human Bronchial Cells.

Graphene and its various derivatives, known as graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs), hold tremendous potential across many fields due to their exceptional properties. As with any novel material, concerns about their safety have emerged alongside their widespread production and use. Several studies have shown that GBNs can have diverse effects on various cell lines and organisms under different exposure conditions.

Evaluation of Systemic Genotoxic/Oxidative and Proinflammatory Effects in Workers of a Titanium Dioxide Production Plant.

This study is aimed at evaluating whether the occupational exposure to TiO during the industrial production process is able to induce genotoxic, oxidative, and inflammatory effects on blood, biomonitoring the same workers that showed micronucleus induction in the exfoliated buccal cells, as previous published. The final aim was to find sensitive and suitable biomarkers to evaluate potential early toxicity of occupational exposure to TiO. On the same 40 workers involved in the manufacture of TiO pigment, 5 office workers, and 18 controls previously studied, we used formamidopyrimidine glycosylase- (Fpg-) comet assay on lymphocytes to evaluate genotoxic/oxidative effects and detected cytokine (IL-6, IL-8, and TNF) release by ELISA to evaluate proinflammation.

Toxicological evaluation of polycrystalline wools in human lung cells.

Polycrystalline wools (PCW) are included with Refractory ceramic fibers (RCF) in the alumino-silicates family of High Temperature Insulation Wools (HTIW). IARC includes PCW in the ceramic fibers group and considers them as possible human carcinogens (GROUP 2B). Since PCW toxicity is not yet clear, our aim was to evaluate their toxic and inflammatory effects and to compare them with the known RCF effects.

A follow-up study on workers involved in the graphene production process after the introduction of exposure mitigation measures: evaluation of genotoxic and oxidative effects.

During nanomaterial (NM) production, workers could be exposed, particularly by inhalation, to NMs and other chemicals used in the synthesis process, so it is important to have suitable biomarkers to monitor potential toxic effects. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the introduction of exposure mitigation measures on workers unintentionally exposed to graphene co-pollutants during production process monitoring the presumable reduction of workplace NM contamination and of early genotoxic and oxidative effects previously found on these workers. We used Buccal Micronucleus Cytome (BMCyt) assay and Fpg-comet test, resulted the most sensitive biomarkers on our first biomonitoring work, to measure the genotoxic effects.

New formaldehyde-free adhesives for wood manufacturing: In vitro evaluation of potential toxicity of fine dust collected during wood sawing using a new experimental model to simulate occupational inhalation exposure.

Formaldehyde mainly emitted from wood adhesives, finishing materials, paint for furniture represents, together with wood dust, a potential carcinogenic risk for wood workers. Aims of this multidisciplinary study are to investigate the possibility of replacing urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesives in the wood industry with organic and/or inorganic-based glues to obtain a final less toxic product and to evaluate the potential toxicity of wood glued with such new adhesives. For this purpose we selected poplar wood to test an organic new adhesive HBP (Hemp Based Protein), a mixture of hemp flour and cross-linker PAE (polyaminoamide epichlorohydrin), and spruce wood to test an inorganic adhesive geopolymer K-PSS (potassium-polysiloxosialate) plus polyvinyl acetate.