Nanoparticle Exposure Assessment in Health and Occupational Safety

The rapid expansion of nanotechnology across sectors such as electronics, pharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing has elevated concerns about the potential health risks posed by workplace nanoparticle exposure. Inhalation remains the principal route of exposure, with engineered and incidental nanoparticles capable of reaching deep lung regions, crossing biological barriers and eliciting cellular responses. Effective exposure assessment thus underpins risk management strategies and informs the development of controls, from ventilation design to personal protective equipment and administrative measures.

Exposure assessment combines real-time aerosol monitoring, simulation of release scenarios in laboratories and biomonitoring of workers. Personal particle counters and size-selective samplers yield estimates of airborne number concentration and surface area, while biological matrices—such as exhaled breath condensate, urine and blood—are interrogated for internal dose and early indicators of inflammation or oxidative damage. Epidemiological investigations, toxicological experiments and mechanistic studies converge to define exposure–response relationships, guide occupational exposure limits and underpin precautionary frameworks for responsible nanotechnology development.

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Nanoparticle Exposure Assessment in Health and Occupational Safety publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle exposure assessment in health and occupational safety across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Cumulative exposure: The total inhaled dose of nanoparticles accumulated over a defined period, often expressed in terms of particle number or surface area per cubic metre of air multiplied by time.

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC): A non-invasive biofluid obtained by cooling exhaled air, used to measure respiratory biomarkers such as cytokines and oxidative stress products.

Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA): A laser-light scattering technique that quantifies and sizes nanoparticles in a liquid sample by tracking their Brownian motion.

Oxidative stress biomarkers: Molecular indicators, including lipid peroxidation products and oxidised nucleic acids, that reflect an imbalance between reactive oxygen species generation and antioxidant defence.

Biomonitoring: The systematic measurement of chemicals or their metabolites in biological media to assess internal exposure and potential health effects.

References

1. Worse pulmonary function in association with cumulative exposure to nanomaterials. Hints of a mediation effect via pulmonary inflammation. Particle and Fibre Toxicology (2024).
2. Assessing the inhaled dose of nanomaterials by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and its relationship with lung inflammatory biomarkers. Chemosphere (2024).
3. Occupational Exposure to Metal-Based Nanomaterials: A Possible Relationship between Chemical Composition and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers. Antioxidants (2024).