Genotoxicity, Acute Oral and Dermal Toxicity, Eye and Dermal Irritation and Corrosion, and Skin Sensitization Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticles
This is an abstract of a 2012 study published in the journal Nanotoxicology, in which researchers tested silver nanoparticles for genotoxicity, acute oral and dermal toxicity, eye and dermal irritation and corrosion, and skin sensitization.
In the bacterial and animal tests performed, the researchers found that silver nanoparticles, at fairly high dosage levels, do not induce genotoxicity or abnormal signs of mortality. There was no oral or dermal toxicity. There was no acute eye or dermal irritation of corrosion, and extremely low skin sensitization. Some cytotoxicity (cell toxicity) was observed in the bacterial tests, which is to be expected since silver is a known bacteriocide. One test animal out of 20 showed low level signs of erythema (i.e., superficial reddening of the skin), prompting researchers to classify the silver nanoparticles used as “a weak skin sensitizer.”
