Researchers develop technique to measure quantity, risks of engineered nanomaterials delivered to cells
Monday, March 31, 2014 - 06:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Thousands of consumer products containing engineered nanoparticles—microscopic particles found in everyday items from cosmetics and clothing to building materials—enter the market every year. Concerns about possible environmental health and safety issues with these nano-enabled products continue to grow, with scientists struggling to come up with fast, cheap, and easy-to-use cellular screening systems to identify possible hazards of vast libraries of engineered nanomaterials. However, determining how much exposure to engineered nanoparticles could be unsafe for humans requires precise knowledge of the amount (or dose) of nanomaterials interacting with cells and tissues such as lungs and skin.