Toxicity of manufactured copper nanoparticles - A review

The health effects of nanoparticles (NPs) are raising considerable and growing concerns from the public and government around the world. Nano-metals are new forms of metal with special properties, but are characterized by having a particle size of less than 100 nm. Copper is an essential trace element and its deficiency leads to different diseases in humans. In general, copper NPs have been reported among the most toxic nanomaterials in mammals. The toxicity of nano-copper depends on sex. The increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) plays an important role in copper-induced organic dysfunction.In this review, we will not only summarize the tissues toxicology induced by nano-copper, but also we will discuss the functions of ROS and RNS in the pathogenesis and toxicity in different organs, DNA damage as a result of oxidative stress, changes in Blood biochemical indexes, and the mechanism of the nano-copper induced apoptosis.