The Nanomaterials Toxicology Risk Assessment on Human Health and Environment

Risk assessment is the quantitative analysis intended to predict the magnitude of the response as the result of an event. In this case, the event is the presentation of a nanomaterial at a given rate or concentration, and the response is a physiological impairment within a defined receptor. The uniqueness of nanomaterials is based on the fact that they present an environmentally or toxicologically reactive entity with a multi atomic or multi molecular surface associated with non-surface constituent. The surface properties of these particles often differ from their molecular form with regard to photochemistry and electrochemistry as well as reactive thermodynamics. This paper concentrates firstly on aspects of the assessment process that would be specific and unique to nanomaterials, and secondly on how to integrate these considerations within a risk paradigm useful for the evaluation of human and ecological safety. It was found that, nanomaterials are less likely to induce systemic effect and more likely to act as contact toxicant. Furthermore, the size of the material’s particles makes it likely that the physiological responses will be of an immune or inflammatory nature.

Keywords:

Nanomaterial , Risk Assessment , Toxicology , Physiological Impairment , Exposure