The scientific journal Biology of Reproduction published a review study on possible endocrine disrupting effects of engineered nanomaterials. The study’s authors from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, U.S. cite original research demonstrating adverse endocrine disrupting effects resulting in reprotoxicity in mammals. In particular, they report on the effects of engineered nanomaterials on steroidgenesis in vivo and in vitro. In male test animals, spermatogenesis, sperm viability and sperm count were influenced by different types of nanomaterials (e.g. gold, silver, titanium, ceria and cobalt-chromium nanoparticles). In females, a lower number of comparable research articles were quoted, of which most focused on pregnancy followed by in vitroex vivo models of placental transfer. The authors conclude that further research is necessary and will “contribute to the knowledge required to further educate our society about the potentially harmful effects of engineered nanomaterials”.

Reference

Larson, J.K. (2014) “Engineered nanomaterials: an emerging class of novel endocrine disruptors.Biology of Reproduction (published online June 4, 2014).

Share