Dosimetry and Toxicology of Inhaled Ultrafine Particles

Abstract

Both epidemiological and toxicological studies indicate that inhalation and subsequent deposition of airborne particles into the lungs have adverse health effects. Recently, the ultrafine particle (UfP) fraction (diameter <100nm) has received particular attention, as their small size may lead to more toxic properties. in this study we summarize the current knowledge on the dosimetry of inhaled particles (including UfPs) with a focus on recent data on translocation of UfPs into secondary target organs (such as brain and heart) suggesting that the lifetime dose of ambient UfPs in secondary target organs is about 10 11 particles. Furthermore, we highlight the main pathways of particle induced toxicity and the reasons for the potentially higher toxicity of UfPs. Finally, we discuss recent evidence indicating that (BET) surface area is the single most relevant dose metric for the toxicity of UfPs, which has important implications for regulatory measures on the toxicity of ambient and engineered particles. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd.

Department(s)

Chemistry

Keywords and Phrases

BET surface area; Lung; Nanoparticle toxicity; Oxidative stress; Particle toxicity; ROS

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1366-5804; 1354-750X

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2024 Taylor and Francis Group; Taylor and Francis, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

22 Dec 2009

PubMed ID

19604063

Link to Full Text

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