What is the impact of Silicon Carbide nanoparticles to the mineral composition of rat lungs? A PIXE-μPIXE comparative study

The exposure to nanomaterials can yield changes in the mineral composition of tissues which may have long term health repercussions. In this study, the changes in mineral composition of rat lungs, exposed to a nanoaerosol of silicon carbide (SiC), has been studied by means of global and local ion beam probes with the Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique, measuring the whole lung contents and selected areas where SiC was found, respectively. It was found that from a global perspective there is a small decrease in the mineral contents (phosphorous, sulphur, chlorine and potassium) of the lung except for Ca, while locally these mineral contents tend fluctuate. (paper)