ABSTRACT
There has been explosive growth in engineering disciplines based on nanomaterials. These range from applications in the fields of ceramics to microelectronics (1,2). The unique physical properties of nanomaterials (conductivity, reactivity, etc.) compared to larger microparticles enable these novel engineering applications. Consequently, the field of nanoscience has experienced unprecedented growth during the last few years and has received a great deal of attention. However, there are many challenges that must be overcome before applying nanotechnology to the field of nanomedicine and prior to conducting science-based occupational or environmental exposure risk assessments. Insufficient data have been collected so far to allow for full interpretation or thorough understanding of the toxicological implications of occupational exposure or potential environmental impact of nanomaterials.
