Biocompatibility assessment of nanomaterials for environmental safety screening.

In view of the extensive use of nanoparticles in countless applications, a fast and effective method for assessing their potential adverse effects on the environment and human health is extremely important. At present, in vitro cell-based assays are the standard approach for screening chemicals for cytotoxicity because of their relative simplicity, sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness compared with animal studies. Regrettably, such cell-based viability assays encounter limitations when applied to determining the biological toxicity of nanomaterials, which often interact with assay components and produce unreliable outcomes.