Toxicity and transfer of metal oxide nanoparticles from microalgae to sea urchin larvae

Nanoparticles (NPs) contained in commercial products are released and enter into the aquatic ecosystem, posing serious possible risks to the environment and affecting the food chain. Therefore, investigating the potential toxicity of NPs on aquatic organisms has become an important issue. This study assessed the toxicity and trophic transfer of metal oxide NPs from marine microalgae (Cricosphaera elongata) to the larvae of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Larvae (24 h old) were fed on 2000 cell mL^?1 48 h of microalgae contaminated with 5 mg L^?1 of several metal oxide NPs (SiO₂, SnO₂, CeO₂, Fe₃O₄) for 15 days. Larval viability and development were monitored from the 4-arm stage to the 8-arm pluteus stage. A significant decrease in survival was observed in larvae fed with microalgae exposed to SiO₂ and CeO₂ NPs. Abnormal development, characterised by skeletal degeneration and altered rudiment growth, was observed in all larvae fed with contaminated NP algae. Our findings revealed that SiO₂ and CeO₂ NPs exerted a toxic effect in the trophic interaction analysed, by reducing sea urchin larval viability, and all metal oxide NPs induced toxicological effects. In conclusion, metal oxide NPs may enter the food chain and become bioavailable for marine organisms, affecting their development.     

Genotoxic effects of Ag2S and CdS nanoparticles in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) haemocytes

The use of functionalised metal sulphide nanoparticles (NPs) for nanoremediation and biomedical application is rapidly increasing, which could lead to significant inputs into the marine environment. The potential impact of some NPs on marine organisms is still poorly understood. In the present paper the genotoxic potential of Ag₂S and CdS NPs on Mytilus edulis haemocytes was assessed. MPEG-SH (thiol-terminated methyl polyethylene glycol), was used as capping agent to avoid NPs agglomeration. TEM analysis showed that the Ag₂S NPs size was 13±7 nm, whereas CdS quantum dots had an average diameter of 4±1 nm. DNA integrity was evaluated by Comet assay following exposure to increasing concentration series (0.01–10 mg/L). Both silver and cadmium NPs showed genotoxic effects at the highest dose. MPEG-SH was also found to exert a weak genotoxic activity, suggesting that at least part of the genotoxic potential of functionalised NPs on mussel cells might be attributable to the capping agent. These results confirm the genotoxic potential of Ag₂S NPs for mussel cells and demonstrated, for the first time, that CdS NPs is genotoxic in a marine organism.     

纳米金属氧化物对土壤酶活性的影响研究进展

纳米金属氧化物的大量生产和广泛应用使其不可避免地进入环境中,土壤是其释放到环境中主要的汇。纳米颗粒由于尺寸效应,具有许多独特的物理化学性质,其进入环境后潜在的生态和健康风险问题日益受到研究者的关注。土壤酶是土壤生物化学过程的主要参与者,也是生态系统物质循环和能量流动过程中最活跃的生物活性物质。土壤酶活性的变化能反映土壤中生化反应的情况,可作为评价土壤中纳米材料污染状况的生物学指标。本文较系统地回顾和总结了纳米金属氧化物对土壤酶活性的影响及可能的影响途径,探讨了纳米金属氧化物作用于土壤酶的主要影响途径,并展望了未来研究主要发展方向。     

纳米银在水环境中的环境行为和毒性效应研究进展

纳米材料的环境行为和生态效应是目前国内外研究的热点,其中纳米银颗粒(Ag NPs)是使用量最高的纳米材料。本文主要总结了Ag NPs在水环境中的赋存、Ag NPs的环境行为、Ag NPs对不同种类微生物的毒性效应以及影响Ag NPs毒性效应的因素,最后对Ag NPs在河口区的研究进行了展望。     

(Super)paramagnetic nanoparticles as platform materials for environmental applications: From synthesis to demonstration

• The fabrication of monodisperse, (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles is summarized. • Monolayer and bilayer surface coating structures are described. • Mono/bilayer coated nanoparticles showed high sorption capacities for U, As, and Cr. Over the past few decades, engineered, (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles have drawn extensive research attention for a broad range of applications based on their tunable size and shape, surface chemistries, and magnetic properties. This review summaries our recent work on the synthesis, surface modification, and environmental application of (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles. By utilizing high-temperature thermo-decomposition methods, first, we have broadly demonstrated the synthesis of highly monodispersed, (super)paramagnetic nanoparticles, via the pyrolysis of metal carboxylate salts in an organic phase. Highly uniform magnetic nanoparticles with various size, composition, and shape can be precisely tuned by controlled reaction parameters, such as the initial precursors, heating rate, final reaction temperature, reaction time, and the additives. These materials can be further rendered water stable via functionalization with surface mono/bi-layer coating structure using a series of tunable ionic/non-ionic surfactants. Finally, we have demonstrated platform potential of these materials for heavy metal ions sensing, sorption, and separation from the aqueous phase.     

Silica nanoparticles and silver-doped silica nanoparticles induce endoplasmatic reticulum stress response and alter cytochrome P4501A activity

Engineered silica nanoparticles (SiO₂-NPs) find widespread application and may lead to exposure of humans and the environment. Here we compare the effects of SiO₂-NPs and SiO₂-NPs doped with silver (SiO₂-Ag-NPs) on survival and cellular function of human liver cells (Huh7) and Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) fibroblast cells (FMH). In Huh7 cells we investigate effects on the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER), including ER stress, and interactions of nanoparticles (NPs) with metabolizing enzymes and efflux transporters. The NPs formed agglomerates/aggregates in cell culture media as revealed by SEM and TEM. SiO₂ and SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs were taken up into cells as demonstrated by agglomerates occurring in vesicular-like structures or freely dispersed in the cytosol. Cytotoxicity was more pronounced in Huh7 than in FMH cells, and increased with silver content in silver-doped NPs. Dissolved silver was the most significant factor for cytotoxicity. At toxic and non-cytotoxic concentrations SiO₂-NPs and SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs induced perturbations in the function of ER. In Huh7 cells NPs induced the unfolded protein response (UPR), or ER stress response, as demonstrated in induced expression of BiP and splicing of XBP1 mRNA, two selective markers of ER stress. Additionally, SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs and AgNO₃ induced reactive oxygen species. Pre-treatment of Huh7 cells with SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs followed by exposure to the inducer benzo(a)pyrene caused a significant reduced induction of CYP1A activity. NPs did not alter the activity of ABC transporters. These data demonstrate for the first time that SiO₂-NPs and SiO₂-1% Ag-NPs result in perturbations of the ER leading to the ER stress response. This represents a novel and significant cellular signalling pathway contributing to the cytotoxicity of NPs.     

Oxidative stress, cytoxicity, and cell mortality induced by nano-sized lead in aqueous suspensions

This paper reports on the effect of aqueous and nano-particulated Pb on oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation), cytoxicity, and cell mortality. As determined by the Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) method, only 6 h after incubation aqueous suspensions bearing nano-sized PbO₂, soluble Pb(II), and brain-homogenate only suspensions, were determined to contain as much as ca. 7, 5, and 1 nmol TBARS mg protein⁻¹, respectively. Exposure of human cells (central nervous system, prostate, leukemia, colon, breast, lung cells) to nano-PbO₂ led to cell-growth inhibition values (%) ca. ≤18.7%. Finally, as estimated by the Artemia salina test, cell mortality values were found to show high-survival larvae rates. Microscopic observations revealed that Pb particles were swallowed, but caused no mortality, however.     

Ecotoxicity of nanosized TiO2. Review of in vivo data

This report presents an exhaustive literature review of data on the effect of nanoparticulate TiO₂ on algae, higher plants, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and freshwater fish. The aim, to identify the biologically important characteristics of the nanoparticles that have most biological significance, was unsuccessful, no discernable correlation between primary particle size and toxic effect being apparent. Secondary particle size and particle surface area may be relevant to biological potential of nanoparticles, but insufficient confirmatory data exist. The nanotoxicity data from thirteen studies fail to reveal the characteristics actually responsible for their biological reactivity because reported nanotoxicity studies rarely carry information on the physicochemical characteristics of the nanoparticles tested. A number of practical measures are suggested which should support the generation of reliable QSAR models and so overcome this data inadequacy.     

改性纳米零价铁的制备及其去除水中的四环素

对聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP-K30)改性纳米零价铁(NZVT)用于水中四环素(TC)的去除进行研究.通过XRD,TEM和BET对改性后的纳米铁性能进行表征.探讨不同反应条件对PVP-NZVI去除四环素的影响.实验结果表明,在制备过程中添加PVP-K30改性剂可以明显减小纳米铁颗粒粒径,增大比表面积,提高TC的去除率.当初...     

微乳液法合成掺硫纳米TiO2及其光催化性能研究

以钛酸四丁酯为钛源,硫脲为掺硫前驱物,采用聚乙二醇辛基苯基醚(Triton X-100)/正己醇/环己烷/氨水的微乳液体系合成了掺硫的纳米TiO2粉体;对其结构进行了表征,以甲基橙为目标降解物考察了其光催化性能.烧结温度通过影响TiO2的晶型转变和颗粒尺寸来影响其光催化性能,随着烧结温度的升高,TiO2的光催化性能先是...