Biomarkers of exposure and effect in human biomonitoring of metal-based nanomaterials: their use in primary prevention and health surveillance

Abstract

Metal-based nanomaterials (MNMs) have gained particular interest in nanotechnology industry. They are used in various industrial processes, in biomedical applications or to improve functional properties of several consumer products. The widescale use of MNMs in the global consumer market has resulted in increases in the likelihood of exposure and risks to human beings. Human exposure to MNMs and assessment of their potential health effects through the concomitant application of biomarkers of exposure and effect of the most commonly used MNMs were reviewed in this paper. In particular, interactions of MNMs with biological systems and the nanobiomonitoring as a prevention tool to detect the early damage caused by MNMs as well as related topics like the influence of some physicochemical features of MNMs and availability of analytical approaches for MNMs testing in human samples were summarized in this review. The studies collected and discussed seek to increase the current knowledge on the internal dose exposure and health effects of MNMs, highlighting the advantages in using biomarkers in primary prevention and health surveillance.

Keywords:

• Metal nanoparticles
• human biomonitoring
• exposure and risk assessment
• biomarkers of exposure
• biomarkers of effect
• analytical methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This survey was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (RF-2019-12369805) in the framework of the research project ARTOO “Assessment of skin and systemic toxicity in patients undergoing laseR taTOO removal.