Emerging Technologies for In Vitro Inhalation Toxicology.

Respiratory toxicology remains a major research area in the 21st century since current scenario of airborne viral infection transmission and pollutant inhalation is expected to raise the annual morbidity beyond 2 million. Clinical and epidemiological research connecting human exposure to air contaminants to understand adverse pulmonary health outcomes is, therefore, an immediate subject of human health assessment. Important observations in defining systemic effects of environmental contaminants on inhalation metabolic dysfunction, liver health, and gastrointestinal tract have been well explored with in vivo models.

Nanoparticle induced barrier function assessment at liquid-liquid and air-liquid interface in novel human lung epithelia cell lines.

Inhalation is the most relevant entry point for nanoparticles (NPs) into the human body. To date, toxicity testing of nanomaterials in respect to oral, dermal and inhalative application is mainly based on animal experiments. The development of alternative test methods is the subject of current research.

Determination of Nanoparticle Uptake, Distribution, and Characterization in Plant Root Tissue after Realistic Long-Term Exposure to Sewage Sludge Using Information from Mass Spectrometry.

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in numerous products and their potential accumulation causes major concern for humans and the environment. Until now, the uptake of NPs in plant tissue was mostly shown under greenhouse conditions at high doses and short exposure periods. Here, we present results on the uptake of particulate silver (Ag) and cerium dioxide (CeO) in the tissues of Triticum aestivum, Brassica napus, and Hordeum vulgare, after exposure to sewage sludge treated with nano-Ag (NM300 K at 1.

The impact of nanomaterial characteristics on inhalation toxicity.

During the last few decades, nanotechnology has evolved into a success story, apparent from a steadily increasing number of scientific publications as well as a large number of applications based on engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Its widespread uses suggest a high relevance for consumers, workers and the environment, hence justifying intensive investigations into ENM-related adverse effects as a prerequisite for nano-specific regulations. In particular, the inhalation of airborne ENMs, being assumed to represent the most hazardous type of human exposure to these kinds of particles, needs to be scrutinized.

Textile Functionalization and Its Effects on the Release of Silver Nanoparticles into Artificial Sweat.

This study addresses the release of total silver (Ag) and silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) from textiles into artificial sweat, particularly considering the functionalization technology used in textile finishing. Migration experiments were conducted for four commercially available textiles and for six laboratory-prepared textiles. Two among these lab-prepared textiles represent materials in which Ag-NPs were embedded within the textile fibers (composites), whereas the other lab-prepared textiles contain Ag particles on the respective fiber surfaces (coatings).

Source apportionment of organic compounds in Berlin using positive matrix factorization - assessing the impact of biogenic aerosol and biomass burning on urban particulate matter.

Source apportionment of 13 organic compounds, elemental carbon and organic carbon of ambient PM(10) and PM(1) was performed with positive matrix factorization (PMF). Samples were collected at three sites characterized by different vegetation influences in Berlin, Germany in 2010. The aim was to determine organic, mainly biogenic sources and their impact on urban aerosol collected in a densely populated region.