Bioaccumulation and Toxic Profiling of Nanostructured Particles and Materials

Abstract

Use of nanotechnological based formulations and nanomaterials are increasing day-by-day in wide range covering a broad typology of applications, from design and development of targeted drug delivery systems, manufacturing of pesticides, domestic appliances, textiles, to bioremediation engineering. There are therefore concerns about the environmental risks or bioaccumulation-related issues that may arise particularly resulting from the application of drug-loaded nanocarriers or effect of pesticides that reach the natural ecosystems. This is a major threat in the present era and needs to be balanced against their undoubted benefits to human society. The assessment of the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles and nanomaterials influencing their toxic manifestation due to accumulation in human or in animal organs is still poorly investigated. This chapter reviews the possibilities of bioaccumulation of different nanoscale particles and materials , their potential acute and subacute toxicological profile and their identification and characterization in different organs and tissues of vertebrates.