Neurodegenerative diseases currently affect over 1.6% of the European population, with dramatically rising incidence that is likely (in part) due to the increase in the average age of the population. There are persistent claims, based on the epidemiology, that pollution may be a cofactor in Alzheimer's disease, although the evidence is controversial. The risk that engineered nanoparticles could introduce unforeseen hazards to human health is now a matter of deep and growing concern in regulatory bodies, governments and industry. However, at present there is only circumstantial evidence that nanoparticles could impact on such diseases. The 'bloodbrain barrier' (BBB) is a protective mechanism that separates the bloodstream from brain tissue while allowing passage of essential nutrients to the brain. Due to their small size and large surface area that is rapidly coated with proteins, which thereby confer on them a biological identity, nanoparticles have unique access to the cellular machinery and can potentially cross biological barriers such as the BBB, offering extraordinary hope for treatment of diseases such as HIV and Alzheimer?s disease, but also raising significant concerns regarding their safety. This report presents the work of an EPA STRIVE Fellowship of almost 2¼ years that aimed to establish and validate an in vitro model for assessment of the human BBB, and to use this to screen nanoparticle transport through the BBB and correlate nanoparticle access to the brain with the nanoparticle physico-chemical characteristics and their protein corona. Specifically, the project intended to develop a rational framework within which to understand which properties of nanoparticles lead to them reaching the brain, and the mechanism(s) by which nanoparticles cross the BBB. Based on the large quantity of uptake and localisation data generated within the project, a preliminary risk assessment of the potential for silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles to induce neurotoxicity was performed. The low potential of the SiO2 nanoparticles to reach the brain via the BBB (less than 5% of the applied dose of 50 nm SiO2 nanoparticles was transcytosed in 4 hours), coupled with the low hazard of these nanoparticles (no cytotoxicity observed at 100 µg/mL after 48 hours of exposure), implies a very limited potential for these nanoparticles to induce neurotoxicity. However, these are only very short-term acute exposure tests, and additional longer-term, chronic and repeat-dose experiments are required urgently. The recommendations of the report for policy makers include the need to consider nanomaterials as biological entities as distinct from chemicals, and as such to develop a strategy to monitor the likely environmental exposure to nanomaterials, and to fund additional research into the environmental and human health impacts of nanomaterials.

Go back to top of page Top

Go back to top of page Top

Please Read Carefully Before Downloading

It is important for the EPA and the Environmental Research Community to know that the data and information products we distribute are useful to the user community we support. One way of doing this is by tracking the use of data and information in publications. Parts of or all of the datasets, data, or digital information products available here can be freely downloaded for further use in scientific applications under the condition that the source will be properly quoted in published papers, journals, websites, presentations, books, etc. Whenever possible the EPA strongly urge you to cite the use of these data, information, and web resources in the reference section of your publications. For convenience an automatically generated citation is available below which can be used immediately for citation purposes.

EPA SAFER Data Download Disclaimer: Before downloading any of the data or information objects below you are kindly asked to read the data download disclaimer Read Disclaimer (Opens in New Window). Downloading data or information objects from SAFER-Data indicates an acceptance of the data download disclaimer and the conditions outlined within it.

Suggested Citation Information

The information supplied in the table below should be provided with all citations to this electronic resource. You are requested to format each of the fields below as required by the specific bibliographical style you are using.

An example of this citation in proper usage:

Raghnaill, N.M.   "Nanotechnology: Environmental and Human Health Impacts". Associated datasets and digitial information objects connected to this resource are available at: Secure Archive For Environmental Research Data (SAFER) managed by Environmental Protection Agency Ireland https://eparesearch.epa.ie/safer/resource?id=aae85058-6b03-102f-8c70-b53a025bc1b8 (Last Accessed: 2025-01-16)

Permalink

Go back to top of page Top

SAFER-Data Display URL	https://eparesearch.epa.ie/safer/iso19115/display?isoID=244
Resource Keywords	Neurodegenerative diseases bloodbrain barrier Alzheimer Nanotechnology Health
EPA/ERTDI/STRIVE Project Code	2007-FS-EH-7-M5-2
EPA/ERTDI/STRIVE Project Theme	Environmental Technologies
Resource Availability:	Public-Open
Limitations on the use of this Resource	Any attached datasets, data files, or information objects can be downloaded for further use in scientific applications under the condition that the source is properly quoted and cited in published papers, journals, websites, presentations, books, etc. Before downloading, users must agree to the "Conditions of Download and Access" from SAFER-Data. These appear before download. Users of the data should also communicate with the original authors/owners of this resource if they are uncertain about any aspect of the data or information provided before further usage.
Number of Attached Files (Publicly and Openly Available for Download):	2
Project Start Date	Monday 1st January 2007 (01-01-2007)
Earliest Recorded Date within any attached datasets or digital objects	Monday 1st January 2007 (01-01-2007)
Most Recent Recorded Date within any attached datasets or digital objects	Thursday 30th December 2010 (30-12-2010)
Published on SAFER	Monday 28th November 2011 (28-11-2011)
Date of Last Edit	Monday 28th November 2011 at 11:19:19 (28-11-2011)
Datasets or Files Updated On	Monday 28th November 2011 at 11:17:39 (28-11-2011)

Go back to top of page Top

Description of Geographical Characteristics of This Project or Dataset
This was laboratory/desk-based and therefore has no geographical extent.

Go back to top of page Top

In this section some supplementary information about this resource is outlined. Lineage information helps us to understand why this project was carried out, what policy or research requirements did it fulfil, etc. Lineage is important in understanding the rationale behind the carrying out of a project or the collection of a specific dataset etc. Links to web sites, applications, papers, etc are outlined to provide you with additional information or supplementary reading about the project or dataset

Any links supplied by the resource owner are stored such that they will open in a new window. Following such a link may lead to a 3rd party website over which EPA has no control in regards to contents or suitability.

Go back to top of page Top

The following is a list of similiar projects and resources on SAFER. Usually these resources share a similiar thematic area to the resource Nanotechnology: Environmental and Human Health Impacts you are currently viewing. You can view the full description for these projects and resources by using the links supplied.

• Thermodynamic modelling of energy recovery options from digestate at waste water treatment plants View Full Metadata Description
• An investigation of the conversion of waste polyethylene terephthalate to the biodegradable polymer polyhydroxyalkanoate View Full Metadata Description
• Energy Efficiency Improvement of Waste Water Treatment Processes Using Process Integration Techniques View Full Metadata Description
• Application of novel enzymes derived from thermoacidophiles to second-generation biofuel production View Full Metadata Description
• DEPLOY: Smart Demonstration of Online Water Quality Monitoring on the River Lee, Cork, Ireland View Full Metadata Description

Go back to top of page Top