The study, which was published in the European Respiratory Journal, evaluated severe lung disease in seven female factory workers whose daily job entailed application of polyacrylic coatings to polystyrene boards. Pathological findings indicated the lung and pleural tissues of these women contained tiny nanoparticles. Analysis of the polyacrylic coatings revealed these materials were the source of the nanoparticles, which had been inhaled or ingested during application.
The women, who were between 18 and 47 years of age, all displayed shortness of breath as well as pleural effusions or bleeding. Researchers followed their conditions for five to 13 months, and evaluating them using video-assisted surgery and other diagnostic techniques. Two of the women between 18 and 47 years of age died as a result of their lung injuries.
Using a technique called transmission electron microscopy, researchers were able to observe nanoparticles that had lodged in the pulmonary epithelial and mesothelial cells of the women, as well as in the chest fluid. According to the published report, researchers indicated that “these cases arouse concern that long-term exposure to some nanoparticles without protective measures may be related to serious damage to human lungs.”
Animal and in vitro studies have previously linked nanoparticle exposure to lung damage and toxicity. This study marks the first evaluation of nanoparticle toxicity in humans.
Nanoparticles are defined as any particle that measures between 1 and 100 nanometers. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Nanotechnology is an emerging scientific field that relies on the specific properties of these tiny particles, derived from a variety of substances, to confer special properties to manufactured and other products. The use of nanoparticles is especially widespread in medicine, where these microscopic structures have been used to achieve more targeted and effective drug delivery in cancer and other health conditions.
Nanoparticles of different substances are found in numerous products, from clothing to cosmetics. While these particles can be useful, their widespread use is not without concern. Scientists and other researchers have long feared that exposure to airborne nanoparticles, most specifically, carbon nanotubes [or CNTs] can cause respiratory illness, and there is some concern that nanoparticles in sunscreens and cosmetics may be absorbed directly through the skin.
Carbon nanotubes, typically used in clothing, coatings, and other materials, have come under scrutiny in the last year, as a result of potential health risks. Many researchers have likened the risks associated with these materials to those of asbestos particles, which have long been recognized as causing lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that affects the membrane covering the body’s internal organs. The link between mesothelioma and carbon nanotubes is at the center of several current ongoing studies.
Mesothelioma causes symptoms that may not appear until years or decades after exposure. Currently, there is no cure for mesothelioma, and following mesothelioma diagnosis, treatment is concentrated on reducing or alleviating symptoms.
