ABSTRACT
Toxicological studies provide information on the dened disease mechanisms, based on dose-response relations and related to the nanoparticle (NP) characteristics that inuence toxicity, including the size, surface area, chemistry or reactivity, solubility, and shape. Toxicology studies aim to determine the biological plausibility of health effects from NPs and to identify cascades of mechanisms that are causal for the gradual transition from the physiological status toward pathophysiological alterations, and eventually chronic diseases. Until recently, all toxicological experiments focusing on NPs described the external exposure or the in vitro characterization [1]. Techniques for measuring NPs in various biological and chemical matrices are also outlined [2]. The toxicology eld is currently well positioned to understand the biological relevance between NPs and biological issues. Nanotoxicokinetics is a branch of toxicology and a new area in which this eld evaluates NPs at the local and systemic levels. Nanotoxicokinetics is focused on understanding and predicting what is going to happen to the xenobiotics in the biota. Typically, we segment nanotoxicokinetics into four different steps, namely absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). In the past, we
CONTENTS
9.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 165 9.2 Absorption .................................................................................................. 166
9.2.1 Oral Absorption ............................................................................. 167 9.2.2 Inhalation ........................................................................................ 169 9.2.3 Cutaneous Route ............................................................................ 171
9.3 Distribution ................................................................................................. 172 9.4 Excretion ...................................................................................................... 172 9.5 Discussion and Conclusion ...................................................................... 173 References ............................................................................................................. 174
did not imagine that particles might affect tissues at the systemic level. The nanotoxicology eld is also considering the interaction between insoluble NPs and biological systems (e.g., body uids, proteins, and cells).
