{"id":24158,"date":"2017-08-25T12:56:09","date_gmt":"2017-08-25T10:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dana.ggiants.de\/nanoparticles-and-the-gastro-intestinal-tract\/"},"modified":"2024-06-19T15:12:21","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T13:12:21","slug":"nanoparticles-and-the-gastro-intestinal-tract","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/materialneutral.info\/en\/safety\/body-barriers\/nanoparticles-and-the-gastro-intestinal-tract\/","title":{"rendered":"Nanoparticles and the Gastro-Intestinal Tract"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our gastro-intestinal tract is highly specialised for the uptake of different materials (food), their digestion, and the delivery of the nutrients via the blood to the organs. There is also the possibility for nanomaterials<\/span> to cross the gastro-intestinal tract barrier. However, this only relates to a very small amount of nanomaterials that are considered to be unproblematic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Food and Gastro-Intestinal Tract<\/h4>\n

Our body depends on the daily uptake of food and water. In emergencies, we can survive without food for several days to a few weeks but only if sufficient water is imbibed. Without water, our body can live for only a few days. Our solid food components contain a combination of plant and animal products. These consist mainly of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, DNA, as well as minerals and fibres.<\/p>\n

The different consecutive parts of our gastro-intestinal tract have the following purposes:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    \"Overview<\/h4>\n

    Stomach<\/strong> – The acidic gastric juice and the kneading movements of the stomach musculature enable the production of food chyme. In addition, bacteria and other unwanted biological products are inactivated.<\/p><\/li>\n

  2. Small intestine<\/strong> – The main purpose of the small intestine is the processing of the food and the uptake of various nutrients into the body\n
      \n
    1. Duodenum<\/strong> – Neutralisation of the acidic chyme and addition of bile and digestive enzymes, so that the fatty components are distributed more homogenously and become more water-friendly in order to improve the digestion.<\/li>\n
    2. Jejunum<\/strong> – Separation of the food contents into single components and active uptake of proteins, fats, sugars, and vitamins.<\/li>\n
    3. Ileum<\/strong> – Active uptake of residual nutrients (for example vitamin B12) and processing of the chyme into the large intestine.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
    4. Large intestine<\/strong> – Solidification of the digested food („faeces”) and recuperation of water and essential electrolytes (salts, ions)<\/li>\n
    5. Anus<\/strong> – Control of defecation<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Many minerals and dietary fibres – the latter consisting mainly of carbohydrates – which are important for the digestive processes as well as for our body exist in particulate form and also can have sizes in the nanometre<\/span> range.<\/p>\n

      In addition, synthetic nanomaterials of the following origins may be present in the gastric contents:<\/p>\n