Abstract
Pulmonary health effects of fine particles and nanoparticles were overviewed in this paper, mainly based on the researches conducting in our laboratory. For the hazard assessment, we exposed rats to aerosolized asbestos-substitutes or nanoparticles aerosols (nickel oxide and titanium dioxide), and examined the biological and pathological effects of the particles on the lung, the major target organ of the inhaled particles, and cytokines which is related to inflammation, fibrosis and carcinogenesis in the lung. It is essential to perform comprehensive evaluation for the toxicity of poorly soluble powder samples using the precise characterization data and exposure methods, such as single intratracheal instillation and aerosol inhalation.
