Acute inhalation toxicity of silver nanoparticles.

The acute inhalation toxicity of silver nanoparticles was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. Seven-week-old rats, weighing approximately 218 g (males) and 153 g (females), were divided into four groups (five rats in each group): fresh-air control, low-dose (0.94 × 10(6) particle/cm(3), 76 µg/m(3)), middle-dose (1.64 × 10(6) particle/ cm(3), 135 µg/m( 3)), and high-dose (3.08 × 10(6) particle/cm(3), 750 µg/m(3)). The animals were then exposed to silver nanoparticles (average diameter 18-20 nm) for 4 hours in a whole-body inhalation chamber. The experiment was conducted following Organization Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guideline 403 with the application of good laboratory practice (GLP). In addition to mortality and clinical observations, the body weights, food consumption, and pulmonary function tests were recorded weekly. At the end of the study, the rats were subjected to a full necropsy, and the organ weights measured. The lung function was also measured twice per week after the initial 4-hour exposure. No significant body weight changes or clinical changes were found during the 2-week observation period. The lung function tests also indicated no significant difference between the fresh air control and the exposed groups. Thus, LC50 silver nanoparticles are suggested for higher than 3.1 × 10(6) particles/cm(3) (750 µg/m(3)).