Health and Environmental Safety of Nanomaterials: Polymer Nancomposites and Other Materials Containing Nanoparticles

It is important for those developing nanomaterials and nano-enabled products to understand nano-safety issues, including hazard assessment as well as exposure assessment and the potential effects throughout the life-cycle of the material. The first edition of Health and Environmental Safety of Nanomaterials: Polymer Nanocomposites and other Materials Containing Nanoparticles was published in 2014, but since that time new developments in the field of nanomaterials safety have emerged, both at release and exposure, as well as the nanomaterials side. Numerous studies have been dedicated to the issue of biophysical interactions of nanoparticles with the human body at the organ, cellular and molecular levels. Novel correlations between the physico-chemistry of specific nanoparticles and their uptake, translocation, transformation, transport, and biodistribution in mammalian and plant systems have also been described and discussed in terms of the medical and environmental implications. Advanced modelling approaches help to elucidate the nano-risks by addressing (quantitative) structure-activity relationships, the modelling of the interaction of nanoparticles with biological (macro) molecules, biochemical pathways and systems and/or the analysis of biomolecular signatures and the development of biomarkers suitable to characterise the impact of engineered nanoparticles. As nanomaterials are used in numerous new applications, safety measures at work with nanoparticles becomes an issue of primary importance. On the materials side, graphene has generated enormous scientific and industrial interest due to its excellent mechanical and electron transport properties. Graphene is considered as a multifunctional reinforcement that can substantially improve, even at small loadings, mechanical, thermal, electrical and barrier properties in polymer composites. However, the health and environment risks of graphene, including toxic activity, deserve an up-to-date description and critical discussion.