Single particle ICP-MS detection of metal oxide nanoparticles in human samples, providing a powerful tool to assess the population exposure and risk assessment

The evaluation of exposure to metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) through human biomonitoring (HBM) provides a crucial contribution to assess risk levels in populations potentially exposed to these substances. Currently, there is insufficient data available to assess the exposure and risks to human health from the growing use of MONPs, and the chemical-physical analysis methods currently used have not yet reached scientific consensus. To this end, an analytical method based on single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) was fully validated to characterize different MONPs (Al2O3, CeO2 Co3O4, Cr2O3, CuO, Mn3O4, NiO, TiO2, ZnO and ZrO2) in HBM matrices.