Engineered Nanoparticle

Abstract: This review summarizes the recent research in the field of inorganic engineered nanoparticle development with direct or potential interest for drinking water treatment. The incorporation of engineered nanoparticles into drinking water treatment technologies against the removal of heavy metals, microorganisms and organic pollutants appears as a very dynamic branch of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles owe their potential to the high specific surface area and surface reactivity compared to conventional bulk materials. Depending on the mechanism of uptake, nanoparticles can be designed to establish high selectivity against specific pollutants and provide the required efficiency for application. However, despite early encouraging results, nanoparticles meet a number of limitations to get promoted and become part of large-scale water treatment plants. The most important is their availability in the required large quantities and their efficiency to fulfil the strict regulations for drinking water consumption and environmental safety. Both deal with the particle preparation cost and the cost of treatment operation with respect to the increase in supplied water price for the consumers. Under this view, this work attempts to evaluate reported studies according to their possibility to meet the reliable requirements of water technology and also suggests an experimental approach to allow validation of tested nanoparticles.

Abstract: Many small molecular anticancer agents are often ineffective at detecting or treating cancer due to their poor pharmacokinetics. Using nanoparticles as carriers can improve this because their large size reduces clearance and improves retention within tumors, but it also slows their rate of transfer from circulation into the tumor interstitium. Here, we demonstrate an alternative strategy whereby a molecular contrast agent and engineered nanoparticle undergo in vivo molecular assembly within tumors, combining the rapid influx of the smaller and high retention of the larger component. This strategy provided rapid tumor accumulation of a fluorescent contrast agent, 16- and 8-fold faster than fluorescently labeled macromolecule or nanoparticle controls achieved. Diagnostic sensitivity was 3.0 times that of a passively targeting nanoparticle, and this improvement was achieved 3 h after injection. The advantage of the in vivo assembly approach for targeting is rapid accumulation of small molecular agents in tumors, shorter circulation time requirements, possible systemic clearance while maintaining imaging sensitivity in the tumor, and nanoparticle anchors in tumors can be utilized to alter the pharmacokinetics of contrast agents, therapeutics, and other nanoparticles. This study demonstrates molecular assembly of nanoparticles within tumors, and provides a new basis for the future design of nanomaterials for medical applications.

Abstract: The likelihood of intentional and unintentional engineered nanoparticle (ENP) exposure has dramatically increased due to the use of nanoenabled products. Indeed, ENPs have beenincorporatedinmany usefulproductsand haveenhancedourway oflife. However,there are many unansweredquestions about the consequencesofnanoparticleexposures,inparticular,withregardtotheirpotentialtodamagethegenomeandthuspotentiallypromotecancer.Inthisstudy, we present a high-throughput screening assay based upon the recently developed CometChip technology, which enables evaluation of single-stranded DNA breaks, abasic sites, and alkali-sensitive sites in cells exposed to ENPs. The strategic microfabricated, 96-well design and automated processing improves efficiency,reducesprocessingtime,andsuppressesuserbiasincomparisontothestandardcometassay.Weevaluatedtheversatilityofthisassaybyscreening fiveindustriallyrelevantENPexposures(SiO2,ZnO,Fe2O3,Ag,andCeO2)onbothsuspensionhumanlymphoblastoid(TK6)andadherentChinesehamsterovary (H9T3)celllines.MTTandCyQuantNFassayswereemployedtoassesscellularviabilityandproliferationafterENPexposure.ExposuretoENPsatadoserange