gogga posts stuff

An article on Medical News Today talks about penetration of quantum dots into skin.

Basically, they do penetrate somehow-compromised skin but do not penetrate intact skin.  Good news, I suppose.  Otherwise I’d be glowing by now

Dr. Nancy Monteiro-Riviere, professor of investigative dermatology and toxicology at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, tested the ability of the quantum dots to penetrate rat skin at 8 and 24 hour intervals. The experiment evaluated rat skin in various stages of distress - including healthy skin, skin that had been stripped using adhesive tape and skin that had been abraded by a rough surface. The researchers also assessed whether flexing the skin affected the quantum dots’ ability to penetrate into the dermal layer. Monteiro-Riviere co-authored the study with doctoral student Leshuai Zhang.

While the study indicates that acute - or short-term - dermal exposure to quantum dots does not pose a risk of penetration (unless there is an abrasion), Monteiro-Riviere notes “there is still uncertainty on long-term exposure.” Monteiro-Riviere explains that the nanoparticles may be able to penetrate skin if there is prolonged, repeated exposure, but so far no studies have been conducted to date to examine that possibility. Quantum dots are fluorescent nanoparticles that may be used to improve biomedical imaging, drug delivery and diagnostic testing.

This finding is of importance to risk assessment for nanoscale materials because it indicates that skin barrier alterations - such as wounds, scrapes, or dermatitis conditions - could affect nanoparticle penetration and that skin is a potential route of exposure and should not be overlooked.

Read the full article.