Engineered nanostructured materials have widespread applications in multiple fields ranging from diagnosis to treatment of diseases. These materials are used in bioimaging, drug delivery and beauty care products. The preparation of nanostructured materials does not involve specific methods but different types of materials are synthesized by various strategies to reach a nanoscale dimension, so their range of effect will also vary depending upon the material and strategy involved. In recent years, nanostructured materials and their effect on human health has become a debatable issue. The conclusion is that most nanostructured materials have toxicity issues with one or more cell lines or organisms, though very few are lethal at very low concentration. This review updates the information on a wide range of nanostructured materials and studies showing associated health benefits and risks.

工程纳米结构材料在从诊断到疾病治疗的多个领域中都有广泛的应用。这些材料用于生物成像，药物输送和美容产品。纳米结构材料的制备不涉及特定方法，但是通过各种策略合成了不同类型的材料以达到纳米尺度，因此它们的作用范围也将根据所涉及的材料和策略而变化。近年来，纳米结构材料及其对人体健康的影响已成为有争议的问题。结论是，大多数纳米结构材料对一种或多种细胞系或生物均具有毒性问题，尽管极低浓度的致死性极少。