HEAD AND NECK Possible role of nano-sized particles in chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar carcinoma: a pilot study Karol Zelenı ´k • Jana Kukutschova ´ • Jana Dvor ˇa ´c ˇkova ´ • Hana Bielnikova ´ • Pavlı ´na Peikertova ´ • Lenka C ˇ a ´balova ´ • Pavel Komı ´nek Received: 14 January 2012 / Accepted: 24 May 2012 / Published online: 8 June 2012 Ó Springer-Verlag 2012 Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the palatine ton- sils of patients with chronic tonsillitis and spinocellular carcinoma to determine the presence of nano-sized parti- cles. Tonsil samples from adult patients with chronic ton- sillitis and spinocellular carcinoma of the palatine tonsil were dried and analyzed using a scanning electron micro- scope with the X-ray microprobe of an energy-dispersive spectroscope. Demographic data and smoking histories were obtained. The principal metals found in almost all tissues analyzed were iron, chromium, nickel, aluminum, zinc, and copper. No significant difference in elemental composition was found between the group of patients with chronic tonsillitis and the group with spinocellular carci- noma of the palatine tonsil. Likewise, no significant dif- ference was found between the group of smokers and the group of nonsmokers. The presence of various micro- and nano-sized metallic particles in human tonsils was con- firmed. These particles may potentially cause an inflam- matory response as well as neoplastic changes in human palatine tonsils similar to those occurring in the lungs. Further and more detailed studies addressing this issue, including studies designed to determine the chemical form of the metals detected, studies devoted to quantitative analysis, biokinetics, and to the degradation and elimina- tion of nanoparticles are needed for a more detailed pre- diction of the relation between the diagnosis and the presence of specific metal nanoparticles in tonsillar tissue. Keywords Tonsillar cancer Á Chronic tonsillitis Á Nanoparticles Á Nanotoxicology Á Scanning electron microscope Á Air pollution Introduction Nanosized particles (NPs), having submicron sizes ranging from 10 nm to several hundred nanometers, have been extensively studied during the past few years. This research is encompassed within two main fields—nanotechnology and nanotoxicology. Nanotechnology is aimed at the manipulation and utilization of new nanomaterials and products with a vast range of applications such as drug delivery, antibacterial agents, smart materials, etc. [1]. Nanotechnology raises many of the same issues raised by the introduction of any new technology, including concerns about the toxicity and potential environmental and health impact of nanomaterials. Hence nanotoxicology, the new K. Zelenı ´k (&) Á L. C ˇ a ´balova ´ Á P. Komı ´nek Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 1790, 708 52 Ostrava, Czech Republic e-mail: karol.zelenik@fno.cz; zelenik@pobox.sk L. C ˇ a ´balova ´ e-mail: lenka.cabalova@fno.cz P. Komı ´nek e-mail: pavel.kominek@fno.cz K. Zelenı ´k Á J.Dvorˇa ´c ˇkova ´ Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Syllabova 19, 703 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic e-mail: jana.dvorackova@fno.cz J. Kukutschova ´ Á P. Peikertova ´ Nanotechnology Centre, Technical University of Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 15/2172, 708 33 Ostrava, Czech Republic e-mail: jana.kukutschova@vsb.cz P. Peikertova ´ e-mail: pavlina.peikertova@vsb.cz H. Bielnikova ´ Department of Pathology, University Hospital Ostrava, 17. Listopadu 1790, 708 52 Ostrava, Czech Republic e-mail: hana.bielnikova@fno.cz 123 Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol (2013) 270:705–709 DOI 10.1007/s00405-012-2069-5