Nanotoxicology: Interactions of Nanomaterials with Biological Systems

With the rapid development of nanotechnology and its applications, a wide variety of nano-structured materials are now used in commodities, pharmaceutics, cosmetics, biomedical products, and industries. While nanoscale materials possess more novel and unique physicochemical properties than bulk materials, they also have an unpredictable impact on human health. The entrance into and interaction of nanomaterials in the human body have generated intense scientific curiosity, attracting much attention as well as increasing concern from the public, nanomaterial-based industries, academia, and governments worldwide. Nanotoxicology is the first textbook in this multidisciplinary area to address all those points and, thus, fill the knowledge gap concerning risks from nanotechnology, the impact of nanomaterials on the human body, their interactions with biological systems, and their risk assessments. The book comprises 16 review chapters covering the main aspects of dealing with the risk of exposure to nanomaterials. In addition, the text summarizes the toxicological effects and biological properties (in vitro or in vivo) for a very wide variety of man-made nano-structured materials including: metallic nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles, dendrimers, quantum dots, nanoclusters, nanocrystals, nanowires, fullerenes, fullerene-based derivatives, single- and multi-wall carbon nanotubes, functionalized carbon nanotubes, polymer nanoparticles, carbon black, nano-coatings, nanomedicines, and others. In addition to covering the toxicological aspects of recognition, identification, and quantification of hazards resulting from human exposure to various types of nanomaterials during manufacturing and applications, this book also outlines possible medical and therapeutic benefits of nanomaterials for clinical diagnosis, drug delivery, disease treatment, and physiological and immunological mechanisms. Nanotoxicology is aimed at providing up-to-date information on the potential toxic