Performance, Applications, and Health Concerns of Nanomaterials

After more than 2,000 years, chrysotile asbestos continues to pose a health risk in spite of its roughly 3,000 or more applications. Contemporary nanomaterials, especially nanoparticulate materials, are produced in millions of metric tons to create products ranging from cosmetics to composites. While many health concerns for contemporary nanomaterials are historically grounded in documented episodes involving chronic respiratory and digestive health issues, including cancers, there is limited associations with many nanoparticulate materials, although cytotoxic assays performed on a variety of nanoparticles and nanoparticle aggregates using human respiratory or lung cell models almost invariably demonstrate some degree of proinflammatory response, and more extensive concerns.