ABSTRACT
Over the past 15 years, the field of nanotoxicology has developed at a rapid pace. Interdisciplinary research, ranging from chemistry and physics to biochemistry and toxicology, has intrigued scientists in a variety of sectors, including academics and industry, and enabled collaborations in unprecedented numbers. This chapter highlights some of the most interesting collaborative methods and results of a nanochemist and a pulmonary toxicologist. Techniques from both fields are needed to be able to accurately and precisely measure the characteristics of engineered nanomaterials exposed to the lung or to cells that compose the lung. The discussion in the present chapter is limited to three popular nanoparticle types: metal oxide powders,
metal colloids, and polymeric particles. The characterization methods described include measurement techniques of particles both in pre-exposure and postexposure modes to the biological test system. The tools presented may also be useful for nanobiomedicinal research.
