Why Is the (Nano-)Dose Question So Important?

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Why Is the (Nano-)Dose Question So Important?
Created by assoceditor on 14/06/2012 17:19:11

A recent Nanowerk Spotlight article explores the question of why the dose of a substance is so important.

A recent Nanowerk Spotlight article explores the question of why the dose of a substance is so important, going back to quote Paracelsus (1493-1541), who said, "All substances are poisons, and there is none which is not a poison; only the dose permits something not to be poisonous."

With nanomaterials, and especially nanoparticles, there is currently no limit regulation or any other regulation referring to dose, as the definition of dose for nanoparticles does not exist. This dossier examines what a dose is, the dose-response relationship, and toxicological studies that address the dose-response relationship. In the field of nanotoxicology, surface reactivity and area are considered to be the most important quantities in terms of dose, but it remains unclear as to whether those parameters are actually the most important.

The author, Myrtill Simkó, writes: “Because the number of nanomaterials to be examined for toxicological effects increases very rapidly, their toxicological examination presents a considerable challenge or even seems unrealistic.” The toxicity of nanoparticles can be larger than their bulk material, due to the increased surface area, as well as the fact that some nanomaterials contain metals or other substances that can alter their toxic properties. The author asks: “do nanomaterials question the paradigm of toxicology ‘only the dose makes the poison’ (Paracelsus)? Or only does the dose have to be correctly defined in order to be able to answer the question with ‘no’?

“The issue, she says, remains unanswered. “Due to missing data,” says Simkó, “parameters for dose calculation of nanoparticles cannot be defined. In order to fill the knowledge gaps by systematic studies, and in order to develop a realistic dose concept for nanoparticles, there is still an urgent research need.”

Click here to read the Spotlight article in full.

Source: Meridian Nanotechnology & Development News Summary; original article from Nanowerk News

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