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Funding Information: C.T.Y. acknowledges funds provided by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). E.S.C. acknowledges the support by the International Energy Joint R&D Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea. (No. 20188520000570) and also by National R&D Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by Ministry of Science and ICT (2021R1A2C2010017). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH Ordered mesoporous carbon materials offer robust network of organized pores for energy storage and catalysis applications, but suffer from time-consuming and intricate preparations hindering their widespread use. Here we report a new and rapid synthetic route for a N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon structure through a preferential heating of iron oxide nanoparticles by microwaves. A nanoporous covalent organic polymer is first formed in situ covering the hard templates of assembled nanoparticles, paving the way for a long-range order in a carbonaceous nanocomposite precursor. Upon removal of the template, a well-defined cubic mesoporous carbon structure was revealed. The ordered mesoporous carbon was used in solid state hydrogen storage as a host scaffold for NaAlH4, where remarkable improvement in hydrogen desorption kinetics was observed. The state-of-the-art lowest activation energy of dehydrogenation as a single step was attributed to their ordered pore structure and N-doping effect.

Pyrazole‐linked covalent organic polymer is synthesized using an asynchronous double Schiff base from readily available monomers. The one‐pot reaction features no metals as a building block or reagent, hence facilitating the structural purity and industrial scalability of the design. Through a single‐crystal study on a model compound, the double Schiff base formation is found to follow syn addition, a kinetically favored product, suggesting that reactivity of the amine and carbonyls dictate the order and geometry of the framework building. The highly porous pyrazole polymer COP‐214 is chemically resistant in reactive conditions for over two weeks and thermally stable up to 425 °C in air. COP‐214 shows well‐pronounced gas capture and selectivities, and a high CO2/N2 selectivity of 102. The strongly coordinating pyrazole sites show rapid uptake and quantitative selectivity of Pd (II) over several coordinating metals (especially Pt (II)) at all pH points that are tested, a remarkably rare feature that is best explained by detailed analysis as the size‐selective strong coordination of Pd onto pyrazoles. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show energetically favorable Pd binding between the metal and N‐sites of COP‐214. The polymer is reusable multiple times without loss of activity, providing great incentives for an industrial prospect., One step, consequential imine linking produced the first pyrazole network polymers with an unusual selectivity for the syn addition. Proven by single‐crystal studies, a kinetic controlled product provides tailor‐made pockets for rapid, pH independent, reversible Pd binding and an exceptional selectivity over other strongly coordinating precious metals like platinum.

Iron is closely associated with an ambient particulate matters-induced inflammatory response, and the cornea that covers the front of the eye, is among tissues exposed directly to ambient particulate matters. Prior to this study, we confirmed that nano-sized iron particles (FeNPs) can penetrate the cornea. Thus, we identified the toxic mechanism of FeNPs using human corneal epithelial cells. At 24 h after exposure, FeNPs located inside autophagosome-like vacuoles or freely within human corneal epithelial cells. Level of inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide, cytokines, and a chemokine was notably elevated accompanied by the increased generation of reactive oxygen species. Additionally, cell proliferation dose-dependently decreased, and level of multiple pathways of cell death-related indicators was clearly altered following exposure to FeNPs. Furthermore, expression of gene encoding DNA binding protein inhibitor (1, 2, and 3), which are correlated to inhibition of the binding of mistranscripted RNA, was significantly down-regulated. More importantly, expression of p-Akt and caspase-3 and conversion to LC3B-II from LC3B-I was enhanced by pretreatment with a caspase-1 inhibitor. Taken together, we suggest that FeNPs may induce multiple pathways of cell death via generation of mistranscripted RNA, and these cell death pathways may influence by cross-talk. Furthermore, we propose the need of further study for the possibility of tumorigenesis following exposure to FeNPs.

Here, we report a synthetic strategy for fabricating silica-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on magnetic particle (Fe3O4@SiO2-Au@mSiO2) for use as a magnetically-separable, thermally-stable, and easily recyclable catalyst in liquid phase reactions. Fe3O4@SiO2-Au@mSiO2 samples were prepared by synthesizing a Fe3O4@SiO2 core–shell particle followed by decoration with the Au NPs and additional mesoporous silica coating. The prepared Fe3O4@SiO2-Au@mSiO2 catalysts showed advantageous characteristics for liquid phase reaction, which are superparamagnetic properties for easy separation and recycling, the well-developed mesoporosity on the outer surface for facile diffusion of reactant molecules, and high resistance on thermal sintering of Au NPs. The resulting core–shell-type catalysts showed improved performance in terms of catalytic stability and recyclability for multiple reaction runs. In particular, the Fe3O4@SiO2-Au@mSiO2-H2O catalyst, which is treated with additional water etching, showed optimal properties such as improved molecular accessibility and Au stability, resulting in the best catalytic performance seen in this study.

A silicon optical electro-absorption modulator (EAM) operating at a high speed and low voltage was achieved by using a Schottky diode in the C-band (1530 nm ~ 1570 nm). The optical modulation is demonstrated by the intensity change of guiding light due to the free-carrier absorption in the semiconductor to change its absorption coefficient, not conventional interference effects. The proposed EAM has lateral metal-semiconductor (MS) junctions that aid in maximizing the free carrier injection and extraction by a Schottky contact on the rib waveguide center. The rib waveguide structure of the modulator on the standard 220-nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform has an etch depth of 80 nm and a width of 450 nm for the single-mode operation. The center of the rib waveguide is lightly doped with 1015 cm-3 indium, where light is mostly confined. The sides are heavily doped with 1020 cm-3 indium to contribute to the optical absorption change in the center. The depletion width in the middle region was drastically changed by a Schottky contact with bias. This design allowed a high overlap between the optical mode and carrier density variations in the center of the waveguide. To achieve a high speed operation, the travelling-wave type electrodes were designed to allow copropagation of electrical and optical signals along the waveguide. The measured results demonstrated a broad operational wavelength range of 40 nm with a uniform 3.9 dB modulation depth for a compact 25 μm modulation length with 1 Vpp driving voltage. The travelling-wave type electrodes enabled the modulator operating up to 26 GHz with 12 GHz of 3-dB electrooptic bandwidth, experimentally.

Making metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are stabilized in nonpolar media is not as straightforward as making their inorganic nanoparticle counterparts, since surfactants penetrate through the porous structures or dissolve the secondary building units (SBUs) through ligand-exchange linker modulator mechanisms. Herein, we report that calixarenes stabilize UIO-66 nanoparticles effectively by remaining outside the grains through size exclusion, without pores becoming blocked, all the while providing amphiphilicity that permits the formation of stable colloidal dispersions with much narrower size distributions. Using the UIO-66 dispersed solutions, we show that smooth films from an otherwise immiscible polystyrene can be made feasibly.

With the extensive application of iron oxide nanoparticles (FeNPs), attention about their potential risks to human health is also rapidly raising, particularly in sensitive subgroups such as pregnant women and babies. In this study, we a single instilled intratracheally FeNPs (1, 2, and 4mg/kg) to the male and female parent mice, mated, then assessed reproductive toxicity according to the modified OECD TG 421. During the pre-mating period (14 days), two female parent mice died at 4mg/kg dose, and the body weight gain dose-dependently decreased in male and female parent mice exposed to FeNPs. Additionally, iron accumulation and the enhanced expression of MHC class II molecules were observed in the ovary and the testis of parent mice exposed to the highest dose of FeNPs, and the total sex ratio (male/female) of the offspring mice increased in the groups exposed to FeNPs. Following, we a single instilled intratracheally to their offspring mice with the same doses and evaluated the immunotoxic response on day 28. The increased mortality and significant hematological- and biochemical- changes were observed in offspring mice exposed at 4mg/kg dose, especially in female mice. More interestingly, balance of the immune response was shifted to a different direction in male and female offspring mice. Taken together, we conclude that the NOAEL for reproductive and developmental toxicity of FeNPs may be lower than 2mg/kg, and that female mice may show more sensitive response to FeNPs exposure than male mice. Furthermore, we suggest that further studies are necessary to identify causes of both the alteration in sex ratio of offspring mice and different immune response in male and female offspring mice.

Zinc-based nanoparticles (Zn-NPs), mainly zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs, have promising application in a wide area, but their potential harmful effects on environment and human health have been continuously raised together with their high dissolution rate. In this study, we coated the surface of ZnO NPs with phosphate (ZnP NPs) and sulfide (ZnS NPs) which have very low solubility in water, administered orally (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) to mice for 28 days, and then compared their biodistribution and toxicity. As expected, ZnO NPs were rapidly ionized in an artificial gastric fluid. On the other hand, ZnO NPs were more particlized in an artificial intestinal fluid than ZnP and ZnS NPs. After repeated dosing, all three types of Zn-NPs the most distributed in the spleen and thymus and altered the level of redox reaction-related metal ions in the tissues. We also found that three types of Zn-NPs clearly disturb tissue ion homeostasis and influence immune regulation function. However, there were no remarkable difference in distribution and toxicity following repeated exposure of three types of Zn-NPs, although Na+ and K+ level in the spleen and thymus were notably higher in mice exposed to ZnO NPs compared to ZnP and ZnS NPs. Taken together, we suggest that all three types of Zn-NPs may influence human health by disrupting homeostasis of trace elements and ions in the tissues. In addition, the surface transformation of ZnO NPs with phosphate and sulfide may not attenuate toxicity due to the higher particlization rate of ZnO NPs in the intestine, at least in part. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1363-1374, 2017.

Impurity has been suggested as an important factor determining toxicity following exposure to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). In this study, we first compared immunotoxicity based on iron content on day 90 after a single intratracheal instillation of SWCNTs in male and female mice. The inflammatory responses were generally stronger in mice exposed to acid-purified (P)-SWCNTs compared to raw (R)-SWCNTs. In addition, both R- and P-SWCNTs induced Th1-polarized immune responses with apoptotic death of BAL cells and systemically impaired the function of antigen-presenting cells (APC). We also screened reproductive and developmental toxicity by cohabitating male and female mice on day 14 after instillation. Interestingly, the pregnancy rate rapidly decreased following exposure to both types of SWCNTs, especially R-SWCNTs. In addition, we investigated developmental immunotoxicity of the offspring on day 28 after exposure to both types of SWCNTs. Their hematological changes were clearer relative to those of the parents and a significant decrease in the alkaline phosphatase and potassium levels was observed in mice of both sexes exposed to the higher dose of R- and P-SWCNTs. In conclusion, we suggest that SWCNTs may induce Th1-polarized immune responses accompanied by suppression of APC function on day 90 after a single instillation without significant iron content dependance. In addition, the consecutive exposure of SWCNTs to the subsequent generation may exacerbate metabolic and hematological disturbance. Furthermore, our results underscore the need to clarify the reproductive and developmental health effects of SWCNTs.

Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlO NP) have been widely utilized in a variety of areas, including in the optical, biomedical and electronic fields and in the overall development of nanotechnologies. However, their toxicological profiles are still not fully developed. This study compared the distribution and immunotoxicity of two rod-types of AlO NP. As reported previously, the two types of AlO NP had different aspect ratios (long-type: 6.2 ± 0.6, short-type: 2.1 ± 0.4), but the size and surface charge were very similar. On Day 14 after a single intravenous (IV) injection (1.25 or 5 mg/kg), both AlO NP accumulated primarily in the liver and spleen and altered the levels of redox response-related elements. The accumulated level was higher in mice exposed to the long-type AlO NP compared to the short-type. Additionally, it was noted that the levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and MCP-1 were enhanced in the blood of mice exposed to both types of AlO NP and the percentages of neutrophils and monocytes among all white blood cells were increased only in mice injected with the long-type AlO NP (5 mg/kg). In addition, as compared to the control, co-expression of CD80 and CD86 (necessary for antigen presentation) on splenocytes together with a decreased expression of chemotaxis-related marker (CD195) was attenuated by exposure to the AlO NP, especially the long-type. Taken together, the data suggest that accumulation following a single IV injection with rod-types of AlO NP is strengthened by a high aspect ratio and, subsequently, this accumulation has the potential to influence immune functions in an exposed host.

This paper demonstrates a 1 Vpp low-driving-voltage silicon electro-absorption modulator (EAM) utilizing a Schottky diode. Optical modulation using a Schottky diode was achieved through the intensity change of the guiding light due to free-carrier absorption in the semiconductor to change its absorption coefficient, not through conventional interference effects. The proposed EAM consists of a lateral metal–semiconductor junction that helps maximize free-carrier injection and extraction through a Schottky contact on rib waveguide. In order to achieve high-speed operation, traveling-wave type electrodes were designed. The fabricated EAM demonstrates a broad operational wavelength range of 50 nm for C-band with a uniform extinction ratio (ER) of 3.9 dB, even for a compact modulation length of 25 μm with a driving voltage of 1 Vpp. Also, the traveling-wave type electrodes enabled the modulator to operate at up to 26 GHz with 13.2 GHz of 3 dB electro-optic bandwidth experimentally.

This study presents a sensitive colorimetric probe for sensing Co 2+ ions based on surface amine-modified iron oxide–silica core–shell nanoparticles (APTES–Fe@SiO 2 NPs) and the appearance of an additional plasmonic peak in the UV–vis spectra due to NP aggregation. This colorimetric strategy based on the component dependence of core–shell NPs offered a highly sensitive and selective detection method for Co 2+ ions. This cost-effective colorimetric probe afforded rapid, naked-eye detection of trace Co 2+ ions at concentrations as low as 0.08 mM. The amine moiety of APTES–Fe@SiO 2 NPs readily formed the metal–amine configuration complex ( λ 980 peak) and induced the formation of Co NPs by self-seed generation ( λ 520 , λ 590 , and λ 630 peaks). Preliminary study data supported the promising practical applicability of the current method for the colorimetric detection of Co 2+ ions in aqueous phase.

Generally, metal NPs have the localized surface plasmon resonance properties (LSPR) for useful colorimetric detection of various chemicals. In this work, we investigated the possibility to calorimetrically detect the heavy metal ions, using only aminosilane without metal NPs supports. Amine group in aminosilane has a high affinity to bivalent metal ions and readily form the metal-amine complex, which could be formed into the metal nanoparticles by self-seed generation with silanization. Three metal ions (Co2+, Cu2+, and Cr2+) only showed the LSPR properties after the addition of aminosilane, through metal-amine complex for self-seed generation.

With the rapid development of the nano-industry, concerns about their potential adverse health effects have been raised. Thus, ranking accurately their toxicity and prioritizing for in vivo testing through in vitro toxicity test is needed. In this study, we used three types of synthesized aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlONPs): γ-aluminum oxide hydroxide nanoparticles (γ-AlOHNPs), γ- and α-AlONPs. All three AlONPs were spherical, and the surface area was the greatest for γ-AlONPs, followed by the α-AlONPs and γ-AlOHNPs. In mice, γ-AlOHNPs accumulated the most 24 h after a single oral dose. Additionally, the decreased number of white blood cells (WBC), the increased ratio of neutrophils and the enhanced secretion of interleukin (IL)-8 were observed in the blood of mice dosed with γ-AlOHNPs (10 mg kg(-1)). We also compared their toxicity using four different in vitro test methods using six cell lines, which were derived from their potential target organs, BEAS-2B (lung), Chang (liver), HACAT (skin), H9C2 (heart), T98G (brain) and HEK-293 (kidney). The results showed γ-AlOHNPs induced the greatest toxicity. Moreover, separation of particles was observed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) image of cells treated with γ-AlOHNPs, but not γ-AlONPs or α-AlONPs. In conclusion, our results suggest that the accumulation and toxicity of AlONPs are stronger in γ-AlOHNPs compared with γ-AlONPs and α-AlONPs owing their low stability within biological system, and the presence of hydroxyl group may be an important factor in determining the distribution and toxicity of spherical AlONPs.

Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) are used in a wide variety of applications for determining the concentrations of various ions in aqueous solutions. When compared to many other analytical techniques, ISEs are relatively inexpensive, simple to use, and have an extremely wide range of applications and concentrations. In recent reports, cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) showed that AgNPs were ionized in the cells and led to causing cell-death. Thus, the measurement of silver ions in aqueous phase is important. In this work, several sodium and potassium salts were considered as ionic-strength adjusters (ISA) and were used in the calibration step to enhance sensitivity of detection the target ion. The result showed that potassium iodine (0.05M KI) acted as a very effective ISA, compared to conventional ISA (5M NaNO3).

Synthesizing a precious metal catalyst with high performance and excellent recyclability is always an important issue in catalysis. Here, we report a synthetic strategy for preparing gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-embedded SiO2 particles for use as recyclable nanocatalysts. Au NP-embedded SiO2 (SiO2–Au@SiO2) particles were synthesized by applying a Au NP decoration on the surface of the SiO2 particles and additional SiO2 coating through a sol–gel reaction. In order to improve molecule accessibility, catalyst stability and catalytic performance, post-treatments such as calcination and/or etching with water or ammonia were carried out. A systematic study of the physical property changes of the resulting SiO2–Au@SiO2 samples with variations of each synthetic step revealed that the parameters that are very important for determining the catalytic performance, namely Au NP stability, porosity and capping agents on the Au surface, are strongly influenced by each post-treatment step. In particular, calcination followed by etching with ammonia enables the production of a highly active SiO2–Au@SiO2 catalyst with highly dispersed Au NPs in the silica layer, a surfactant-free Au surface and an improved porosity of the silica layer, which displays significantly enhanced catalytic performance and excellent recyclability as compared to SiO2–Au and as-synthesized SiO2–Au@SiO2.

The tissue distribution and toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) depend on their physical and chemical properties both in the manufactured condition and within the biological system. We characterized three types of commercially available aluminum-based NPs (Al-NPs), two rod-type aluminum oxide NPs (Al2O3, AlONPs), with different aspect ratios (short [S]- and long [L]-AlONPs), and spherical aluminum cerium oxide NPs (AlCeO3, AlCeONPs). The surface area was in order of the S-AlONPs > L-AlONPs > AlCeONPs. Very importantly, we found that AlCeONPs is Al2O3-coated CeO2 NPs, but not AlCeO3 NPs, and that the Al level in AlCeONPs is approximately 20% of those in S- and L-AlONPs. All three types of Al-NPs were slightly ionized in gastric fluid and rapidly particlized in the intestinal fluid. There were no significant differences in the body weight gain following 28 days of repeated oral administration of the three different types of Al-NPs. All Al-NPs elevated Al level in the heart, spleen, kidney and blood at 24 hours after the final dose, accompanied by the altered tissue level of redox reaction-related trace elements. Subsequently, in four types of cells derived from the organs which Al-NPs are accumulated, H9C2 (heart), HEK-293 (kidney), splenocytes and RAW264.7 (blood), S-AlONPs showed a very low uptake level and did not exert significant cytotoxicity. Meanwhile, cytotoxicity and uptake level were the most remarkable in cells treated with AlCeONPs. In conclusion, we suggest that the physicochemical properties of NPs should be examined in detail before the release into the market to prevent unexpected adverse health effects.

Novel hierarchical multipod γ-MnS microcrystals have been successfully synthesized by a simple solvothermal method, in which manganese acetate was used as a manganese source and thiosemicarbazide was used as both sulfur source and capping agent.

Due to their unique physicochemical properties, the potential health effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have attracted continuous attention together with their extensive application. In this study, we aimed to identify local and systemic health effects following pulmonary persistence of SWCNTs. As expected, SWCNTs remained in the lung for 13 weeks after a single intratracheal instillation (50, 100, and 200μg/kg). In the lung, the total number of cells and the percentages of lymphocytes and neutrophils significantly increased at 200μg/kg compared to the control, and the Th1-polarized immune response was induced accompanying enhanced expression of tissue damage-related genes and increased release of chemokines. Additionally, SWCNTs enhanced the expression of antigen presentation-related proteins on the surface of antigen-presenting cells, however, maturation of dendritic cells was inhibited by their persistence. As compared to the control, a significant increase in the percentage of neutrophils and a remarkable decrease of BUN and potassium level were observed in the blood of mice treated with the highest dose. This was accompanied by the down-regulation of the expression of antigen presentation-related proteins on splenocytes. Moreover, protein and glucose metabolism were disturbed with an up-regulation of fatty acid β-oxidation. Taken together, we conclude that SWCNTs may induce adverse health effects by disturbing immune and metabolic regulation functions in the body. Therefore, careful application of SWCNTs is necessary for the enforcement of safety in nano-industries.

With the rapid development of the nano-industry, concerns about their potential adverse health effects have been raised. Thus, ranking accurately their toxicity and prioritizing for in vivo testing through in vitro toxicity test is needed. In this study, we used three types of synthesized aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlONPs): γ-aluminum oxide hydroxide nanoparticles (γ-AlOHNPs), γ- and α-AlONPs. All three AlONPs were spherical, and the surface area was the greatest for γ-AlONPs, followed by the α-AlONPs and γ-AlOHNPs. In mice, γ-AlOHNPs accumulated the most 24 h after a single oral dose. Additionally, the decreased number of white blood cells (WBC), the increased ratio of neutrophils and the enhanced secretion of interleukin (IL)-8 were observed in the blood of mice dosed with γ-AlOHNPs (10 mg kg(-1)). We also compared their toxicity using four different in vitro test methods using six cell lines, which were derived from their potential target organs, BEAS-2B (lung), Chang (liver), HACAT (skin), H9C2 (heart), T98G (brain) and HEK-293 (kidney). The results showed γ-AlOHNPs induced the greatest toxicity. Moreover, separation of particles was observed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) image of cells treated with γ-AlOHNPs, but not γ-AlONPs or α-AlONPs. In conclusion, our results suggest that the accumulation and toxicity of AlONPs are stronger in γ-AlOHNPs compared with γ-AlONPs and α-AlONPs owing their low stability within biological system, and the presence of hydroxyl group may be an important factor in determining the distribution and toxicity of spherical AlONPs.

A silicon optical modulator operating at high speed and low voltage is proposed by using a Schottky diode. The optical modulation is achieved by the intensity change of guiding light due to free-carrier absorption, not conventional interference effects. The rib waveguide structure of the modulator has a height of 340 nm, a etch depth of 150 nm, a width of 4.8 μm, and a modulation length of 500 μm. It was designed to maximize the free carrier injection by a Schottky contact on the rib waveguide center. The center of the rib waveguide is lightly doped with phosphorus of 10 16 cm −3 , and the sides are heavily doped with phosphorus of 10 20 cm −3 to improve modulation depth by injecting free carriers into the center of the rib waveguide. This design allowed a high overlap between the optical mode and carrier density variations in the center of the waveguide. To achieve high speed operation, travelling-wave type electrodes were designed to allow co-propagation of electrical and optical signals along the waveguide. The device simulated results demonstrate a 3.3 dB modulation depth for a 500 μm modulation length with 3 V pp driving voltages. We demonstrated a Schottky modulator operating Si EAM at 3 V pp with a 3 dB bandwidth of 7 GHz.

Due to their unique physicochemical properties, the potential health effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have attracted continuous attention together with their extensive application. In this study, we aimed to identify local and systemic health effects following long pulmonary persistence of SWCNTs. As expected, SWCNTs remained in the lung on 13-weeks after a single intratracheal instillation (50, 100, and 200 μg/kg). In the lung, the number of total cells and the percentages of lymphocytes and neutrophils were significantly raised at 200 μg/kg dose compared to the control, and Th1-polarized immune response was induced accompanying an enhanced expression of tissue damage-related genes and an increased release of chemokines. Additionally, SWCNTs enhanced the expression of antigen presentation-related proteins on the surface of antigen-presenting cells, but maturation of dendritic cells was inhibited by their long persistence. As compared to the control, the significant increase in the percentage of neutrophils in WBC and the remarkable decrease of BUN and potassium level were observed in the blood of mice treated with the highest dose accompanied by the down-regulation in the expression of antigen presentation-related proteins on splenocytes. Moreover, protein and glucose metabolism was disturbed with an up-regulation of fatty acid β-oxidation. Taken together, we conclude that SWCNTs may induce adverse health effects by disturbing the immune and metabolic regulation function in the body. Therefore, careful application of SWCNTs is necessary for the enforcement of safety in nano-industries.

We developed Autonomous Buoy, which is composed of embedded system, OPC (Optical Particle Counter) and CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) sensors, to observe underwater environment. The vehicle is an autonomous profiling float that uses a buoyancy engine to cycle horizontally while moving up and down. The autonomous buoy is controlled by embedded system composed of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and high performance CPU, which is designated to perform image signal processing, data compression, power management and satellite communication. Embedded system acquires high-resolution particle image using linear-CCD for counting particle and CTD value and analyzes particle images in underwater environment. It reduces amount of particle image data using on-board processing that provides good performance when autonomous vehicle communicates with a satellite.