Tsuda Hiroyuki, Tokunaga Hiroshi, Hirose Akihiko, Kanno Jun
Department of Molecular Toxicology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan.
Yakugaku Zasshi. 2008 Dec;128(12):1727-32. doi: 10.1248/yakushi.128.1727.
It is considered that the materials with new properties may lead to novel biological effects or unknown adverse health effects. To gather proper hazard information, it is important to develop both experimental protocols and detection/measurement methods for nanomaterials in the body, in parallel. Since 2005, we are running research projects to develop methods to monitor health risk effects for the assessment of manufactured nanomaterials funded by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. For the experimental protocols, these projects focus on the development of 1) in vitro experimental systems, 2) in vivo experimental systems (mainly focusing on long-term health implication, especially carcinogenesis), and 3) proper inhalation system. Firstly, fullerene (C60), titanium dioxide and multi-walled carbon nanotube were chosen to be tested because of their high production volume. Safety issues for new materials such as nanoparticles is a new paradigm. The key is that the full scale exposure to the public has not been started yet. Therefore, there is a good chance that information from hazard identification studies can be directly fed back to the product development plan. Manufacturers can produce safer products without risking themselves waiting for the toxicology studies to be finished after their products are widely marketed.
人们认为具有新特性的材料可能会带来新的生物学效应或未知的健康不良影响。为了收集适当的危害信息，同时开发针对体内纳米材料的实验方案和检测/测量方法非常重要。自2005年以来，我们一直在开展研究项目，以开发监测健康风险效应的方法，用于评估由厚生劳动省资助的人造纳米材料。对于实验方案，这些项目侧重于开发：1）体外实验系统；2）体内实验系统（主要关注长期健康影响，尤其是致癌作用）；3）合适的吸入系统。首先，由于富勒烯（C60）、二氧化钛和多壁碳纳米管的产量高，因此选择它们进行测试。纳米颗粒等新材料的安全问题是一个新的范例。关键在于尚未开始对公众进行全面接触。因此，危害识别研究的信息很有可能直接反馈到产品开发计划中。制造商可以生产更安全的产品，而不必在产品广泛销售后冒着风险等待毒理学研究完成。
