Research Advances on Cytotoxicity of Nano-Silica

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) has become a worldwide air pollution concern. Natural and artificial ultrafine silica particles exist widely in atmospheric particulate matters. The increasing application and production of nano-silica have inevitably resulted in its releasing into the environment. The special physicochemical properties make its toxicological effects upon organisms very different from conventional particulate matters. In the present paper, both domestic and international studies on the toxic effects of nano-silica were reviewed, including membrane toxicity, oxidative damage and inflammation, the impacts on cell apoptosis and the changes of cell cycle, DNA damage, and gene expressions. The paper pointed out that the cytotoxicity was influenced by many factors such as particle size and dosage. The mechanism of toxicology of nano-silica should be further studied.