3DPT3D Periodic Table for Predicting Human Health Risks of Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT: NANOSAFE INC. proposes the development and demonstration of the nanoparticle 3DPT3D Periodic Table which is an advanced database and software modeling tool for predicting nanoparticle toxicity, bioavailability, persistence, biological fate/transport, and life cycle risks from 1) quantitative structural properties used to characterize nanoscale particles (e.g., chemical composition, size, surface chemistry/reactivity, dissolution kinetics), 2) the media in which nanoparticles may be dispersed (e.g., serum, saliva, lung fluid, buffers), and 3) the assays used to quantify toxicological effects in vitro and in vivo, as well as acellularly (i.e., chemical methods). Results of Phase I development will yield a flexible electronic database that can be queried by end users to link, for example, physico-chemical properties of nanoscale materials with environmental outcomes predicted by nano-specific quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs). The beta-version of the 3DPT will be populated with experimentally-derived data parameters for a limited set of nanoscale materials with demonstrated significance to emerging defense applications of nanotechnologies. BENEFIT: The proposed research offers the potential to significantly enhance Air Force ability to accurately identify and manage nanotechnology human health risks, with strong potential for extrapolation to general use by the greater research community. In particular, the proposed electronic database will integrate into a single location, information on basic properties of nanoscale materials (such as size, surface area, etc.) and their reported toxicological effects and fate/transport as measured in vitro and in vivo. This will facilitate efforts already underway at Air Force research laboratories to develop assays and characterization approaches suitable for assessing the human health risks of nanoscale materials. Ultimately, this work will contribute substantially to DOD efforts to improve military operations through applications of nanotechnology while simultaneously ensuring the safety and sustainability of these operations.