An overview on the reproductive toxicity of graphene derivatives: Highlighting the importance

Abstract

With the glorious discovery of graphene back in 2004, the field of nanotechnology was faced with a breakthrough that soon attracted the attention of many scientists from all over the world. Owing to its unique bidimensional structure and exquisite physicochemical properties, graphene has successfully managed to cave its way up to the list of the most investigated topics, while being extensively used in various fields of science and technology. However, serious concerns have been raised about the safety of graphene, for which numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the toxicity of graphene derivatives in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The reproductive toxicity of graphene is one of the most important aspects of this subject as it not only affects the individual but can also potentially put the health of one's offsprings at risk and display long-term toxic effects. Given the crucial importance of graphene's reproductive toxicity, more attention has been recently shifted toward this subject; however, the existing literature remains insufficient. Therefore, we have conducted this review with the aim of providing researchers with assorted information regarding the toxicity of graphene derivatives and their underlying mechanisms, while mentioning some of the major challenges and gaps in the current knowledge to further elucidate the path to exploring graphene's true nature. We hope that our work will effectively give insight to researchers who are interested in this topic and also aid them in completing the yet unfinished puzzle of graphene toxicity.