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Nano-Silver Toxicity: Emerging Concerns and Consequences in Human Health

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Nano-Antimicrobials

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles are used in diverse applications due to their unique properties, and thus are rapidly becoming part of our daily life. Silver nano-based products like wound dressings, cosmetics and antimicrobial coatings are now available in the market. However, little is known about their biodistribution and toxicity. The present chapter focuses on the risk associated with the use of silver nanoparticles, route of exposure, and different toxic effects of silver nanoparticles on different systems like nervous system, immunological, respiratory and reproductive systems. Developmental defects, genotoxic effects and toxicity at the microbial level have been reviewed and discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi and Indo-Brazil Joint Research Project funded by Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India. The authors thank Professor Anne Anderson, Biology Department, Utah State University, USA for critical suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, SGB Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra, India

    Indarchand Gupta & Mahendra Rai

  2. Chemistry Institute, Biological Chemistry Laboratory, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Nelson Duran

  3. Center of Natural and Human Sciences (CCNH), Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Santo André, SP, Brazil

    Nelson Duran

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  1. Indarchand Gupta
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  2. Nelson Duran
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  3. Mahendra Rai
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Correspondence to Mahendra Rai .

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  1. , Dipartimento di Chimica, UniversitĂ  degli Studi die Bari, via Orabona 4, Bari, 70126, Italy

    Nicola Cioffi

  2. Dept. Biotechnology, SGB Amravati University, Amravati, 444602, India

    Mahendra Rai

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Gupta, I., Duran, N., Rai, M. (2012). Nano-Silver Toxicity: Emerging Concerns and Consequences in Human Health. In: Cioffi, N., Rai, M. (eds) Nano-Antimicrobials. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24428-5_18

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