Environmental Cytotoxicity of Nanoparticles: Differentiating "Nanoparticulate" from "Molecular Scale" Effects

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

The increased use of nanomaterials is leading to advances in health and medicine, energy, environmental remediation, and other applications. This research seeks to identify the potential adverse effects of nanoparticle exposure on human health and the environment. These concerns are becoming very important issues in using nanotechnology. The work addresses the challenge of building a common understanding of how nanoparticles affect biological cells. Several classes of nanomaterials will be tested with a variety of biological cells and models and with specific dose levels and exposure times. The research will disentangle cytotoxic consequences, those originating solely from nanoparticulate effects and those originating from molecular scale effects. It will also identify appropriate metrics to represent the nanoparticulate effects. The research is critical to understanding and using nanotechnology.