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Measuring particle size distributions precisely is an important concern in addressing environmental and human health-related issues. To measure particle size distributions, a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) is often used. However, it is difficult to analyze particle size distributions under fast-changing concentration conditions because the SMPS cannot respond fast enough to reflect current conditions due to the time necessary for voltage scanning. In this research, we developed a new nanoparticle sizer (NPS), which consists of a multi-port differential mobility analyzer (MP-DMA) with 12 sampling ports and multi-condensation particle counters (M-CPCs) that simultaneously measure concentrations of particles classified by the sampling ports. The M-CPC can completely condense particles larger than 10 nm, and the total particle concentrations measured by each CPC in the M-CPCs and an electrometer were in agreement up to 20 000 no.cm-3. We conducted size distribution measurements under steady-state conditions using an aerosol generator and under unsteady conditions by switching the aerosol supply on or off. The data obtained by the NPS corresponded closely to the SMPS measurement data for the steady-state particle concentration case. In addition, the NPS could successfully capture the changes in particle size distribution under fast-changing particle concentration conditions. Finally, we present NPS measurement results of size distributions in a common situation (cooking) as an exemplary real-world application.

In a recently conducted study, we developed a nano-particle sizer (NPS) that consists of a multi-port differential mobility analyzer (MP-DMA) and two multi condensation particle counters (M-CPCs) for achieving fast measurements of aerosol particles; however, the performance of MP-DMA was not detailed in the study. Therefore, the objective of this study is to perform numerical simulations to obtain the transfer function of each port in the MP-DMA, which is the main component of the NPS. We observed good agreement between the numerically obtained central particle size of each port and the experimental data under the same operating conditions. The transmission probability and resolution of each port were determined and analyzed under various conditions using the transfer function. The findings of this study shall help in understanding the advantages of NPS.

Lung deposition and retention measurements are now required by the newly revised OECD inhalation toxicity testing guidelines 412 and 413 when evaluating the clearance and biopersistence of poorly soluble nanomaterials, such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). However, evaluating the lung deposition concentration is challenging with certain nanomaterials, such as carbon-based and iron-based nanomaterials, as it is difficult to differentiate them from endogenous elements. Therefore, the current 28-day inhalation toxicity study investigated the lung retention kinetics of tangled MWCNTs. Male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to MWCNTs at 0, 0.257, 1.439, and 4.253 mg/m3 for 28 days (6 h/day, 5 days/week, 4 weeks). Thereafter, the rats were sacrificed at day 1, 7, and 28 post-exposure and the pulmonary inflammatory response evaluated by analyzing the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Plus, the blood biochemistry, hematology, and histopathology of the lungs were also examined. The lung deposition and retention of MWCNTs were determined based on the elemental carbon content in the lungs after tissue digestion. The number of polymorphonuclear cells and LDH concentration were both found to be significantly higher with the medium and high concentrations (1.439 and 4.253 mg/m3) and dose dependent. The estimated retention half-life for the high concentration (4.253 mg/m3) was about 35 days. The results of this study indicate that tangled MWCNTs seem to have a relatively shorter retention half-life when compared to previous reports on rigid MWCNTs, and the no-observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for the tested tangled MWCNTs was 0.257 mg/m3 in a previous rat 28-day subacute inhalation toxicity study.

Biomonitoring of workers is an approach of evaluating workers’ exposure to chemicals and particulate matter by measuring biomarkers of parent chemicals, their metabolites, and reaction products in workers’ biospecimens. Prerequisites for biological monitoring in the workplace include permission to enter the workplace, approval of the study plan from the IRB (Institutional Review Board), and obtaining consent from workers. Because of the complex legal process involved in biomonitoring, few studies have been conducted so far on biomonitoring of workers’ exposures to nanoparticles and other hazards from emerging materials and advanced nanotechnologies. We have developed a cell-based biomonitoring device that can evaluate acute cytotoxicity and various other effect biomakers, such as inflammation, at realistic workplace exposure. This device is based on air–liquid interphase (ALI) and can be used to evaluate cell toxicity and early effect biomarkers along adverse outcome pathways. Following exposure of A549 lung epithelial cells in ALI to workplace air for 1–2 h, the cells were processed to assess the induction of inflammatory and cell damage biomarkers. Initially, we estimated the deposition rate of nanoparticles in the transwell by exposing the cell-free ALI device to silver nanoparticle aerosols (AgNP 20–30 nm) for 2 h in the laboratory. Then A549 lung epithelial cells cultured on the transwell in the ALI device were exposed to AgNP nanoaerosols for 2 h and evaluated for cytotoxicity and induction of mRNAs of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1b, IL-6, and TNF-α. Then the cells in the ALI device were exposed to 3-D printer emissions at the workplace and evaluated for the same matched endpoints. The mRNA levels for IL-1b, IL-6, and TNF-α increased significantly at the end of 2-h exposure of A549 cells to the positive control AgNP aerosols. These mRNAs, as well as LDH and microprotein concentrations, increased even more after 24-h post-exposure incubation (p < 0.05). Cytotoxicity evaluation of 3-D printer emissions at 810 and 957 μg/m3, which was more than 80 times higher than the airborne total suspended particulate concentrations in the workplace air (9–12.5 μg/m3), suggested no significant acute cytotoxicity at the end of 2-h exposure to 3-D-printing emission, as well as at 24-h post-exposure incubation. Hyperspectral microscopic observation showed that 3-D printers emitted particles to be attached to A549 cells after 2-h exposure, and many particles were internalized by A549 cells after 24 h of post-exposure incubation. The mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1b and IL-6 increased significantly after 2-h exposure to 3-D printer emissions and after 24-h incubation (only IL-6). In contrast, the expression of TNF-α mRNA decreased significantly after 2 h of exposure to 3-D printers and decreased even more after 24-h post-exposure incubation. These results support the use of cell-based ALI devices for direct assessment of airborne hazards in the workplace, for probing toxicological properties of airborne contaminants using adverse molecular pathways, and for guiding study design for workplace biomonitoring. ALI devices can bridge conventional exposure assessment with cellular toxicity testing platforms for hazard and risk assessment.

Aims: We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for preoperative lymph node (LN) staging in newly diagnosed bladder cancer (BC) patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Patients and Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library database, from the earliest available date of indexing through June 30, 2017, were searched for studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of F-18 FDG PET/CT for preoperative LN staging in newly diagnosed BC. We determined the sensitivities and specificities across studies, calculated positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR–), and constructed summary receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: Across 14 studies (785 patients), the pooled sensitivity was 0.57 (95% CI: 0.49–0.64) and the pooled specificity was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.87–0.95). The LR syntheses gave an overall LR+ of 7.4 (95% CI: 4.4–12.3) and an LR– of 0.47 (95% CI: 0.39–0.56). The pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 16 (95% CI: 9–28). Conclusions: F-18 FDG PET/CT shows a low sensitivity and high specificity for the detection of metastatic LNs in patients with newly diagnosed BC.

Atmospheric aerosol charging is caused mainly by cosmic rays and/or natural radioactive material decay. Because the ionization process generates well-balanced ion pairs, positive and negative ions in the air are at almost the same concentrations. The atmospheric aerosol electrical charge is therefore usually neutral. We measured the particle charge polarity distribution in the atmosphere during a lightning event at ground level. We found that the 80–200 nm particle charge balance during a lightning event was skewed either to the positive or the negative. Furthermore, the particle charge polarity changed very rapidly (within a few minutes) from negative to positive or vice versa. There was also a two-fold higher charged particle fraction during a lightning period than a normal day. This increased charged particle fraction may decrease the total particle concentration in the atmosphere by deposition on raindrop surfaces.

Measuring particle size distributions precisely is an important concern in addressing environmental and human health-related issues. To measure particle size distribution, a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) is often used. However, it is difficult to analyze particle size distribution under fast-changing concentration conditions because the SMPS cannot respond fast enough to reflect current conditions due to the time necessary for voltage scanning. In this research, we developed a new Nano-particle sizer (NPS), which consists of a multi-port differential mobility analyzer (MP-DMA) with 12 sampling ports and multi-condensation particle counters (M-CPCs) that simultaneously measure concentrations of particles classified by the sampling ports. The M-CPC can completely condense particles larger than 10 nm, and the total particle concentrations measured by each homemade CPC in the M-CPCs and an electrometer were in agreement up to 20,000 # cm−3. For particle classification tests on the MP-DMA, geometric standard deviations of the size distributions of classified particles were estimated in the range of 1.035–1.066. We conducted size distribution measurements under steady-state conditions using an aerosol generator and under unsteady conditions by switching the aerosol supply on/off. The data obtained by the NPS corresponded closely with the SMPS measurement data for the steady-state particle concentration case. In addition, the NPS could successfully capture the changes in particle size distribution under fast-changing particle concentration conditions. For the last, we presented the NPS measurement results of size distributions in common situation (cooking) as an exemplary real-world application.

Background Information on particle deposition, retention and clearance are important for the evaluation of the risk of inhaled nanomaterials to human health. Recent revised OECD inhalation toxicity test guidelines require to evaluate the lung burden of nanomaterials after rodent subacute and subchronic inhalation exposure (OECD 412, OECD 413). These revised test guidelines require additional post-exposure observation (PEO) periods that include lung burden measurements that can inform on lung clearance behavior and translocation. The latter being particularly relevant when the testing chemical is a solid poorly soluble nanomaterial. Therefore, in the spirit of 3 R’s, we investigated whether measurement of retained lung burden of inhaled nanoparticles (NPs) in individual lung lobes is sufficient to determine retained lung burden in the total lung. If it is possible to use only one lobe, it will reduce animal use and maximize the number of endpoints evaluated. Results To achieve these goals, rats were exposed nose-only for 1 or 5 days (6 h/day) to an aerosol of 20 nm well-dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which is the desired particle diameter resulting in maximum deposition in the pulmonary region when inhaled as singlets. After exposure, the five lung lobes were separated and silver concentration was measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrophotometer (ICP-MS). The results showed that the retention of deposited silver nanoparticle in the different lung lobes did not show any statistically significant difference among lung lobes in terms of silver mass per gram lung lobe. This novel finding of evenness of retention/deposition of inhaled 20 nm NPs in rats for all five lobes in terms of mass per unit tissue weight contrasts with earlier studies reporting greater apical lobe deposition of inhaled micro-particles in rodents. The difference is most likely due to preferred and efficient deposition of inhaled NPs by diffusion vs. additional deposition by sedimentation and impaction for micron-sized particles. Conclusion AgNPs following acute inhalation by rats are evenly retained in each lung lobe in terms of mass per unit lung tissue weight. Accordingly, we suggest sampling any of the rat lung lobes for lung burden analysis can be used to determine deposited or retained total lung burden after short-term inhalation of NPs and using the other lobes for collecting and analyzing bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and for histopathological analysis. Therefore, by combining lung burden measurement, histopathological tissue preparation, and BALF assay in the same rat will reduce the number of animals used and maximize the number of endpoints measured. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12989-018-0286-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.