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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering >> 2015, Volume 9, Issue 5 doi: 10.1007/s11783-015-0775-0

A multi-integrated approach on toxicity effects of engineered TiO

1. LNEG-National Laboratory of Energy and Geology, I.P., Lisbon 1649-038, Portugal.2. REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, Fine Chemistry and Biotechnology Center, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, New University of Lisbon, Caparica 2829-516, Portugal.3. IMAR-Ocean Institute, Department of Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, New University of Lisbon, Caparica 2829-516, Portugal.4. CENIMAT/I3N and Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, New University of Lisbon, Caparica 2829-516, Portugal.5. Pathological Anatomy, Curry Cabral Hospital, Lisbon 1069-166, Portugal.6. CESAM, Faculty of Sciences, Lisbon University, Lisbon 1749-016, Portugal

Accepted: 2015-02-13 Available online: 2015-10-08

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Abstract

The new properties of engineered nanoparticles drive the need for new knowledge on the safety, fate, behavior and biologic effects of these particles on organisms and ecosystems. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have been used extensively for a wide range of applications, e.g, self-cleaning surface coatings, solar cells, water treatment agents, topical sunscreens. Within this scenario increased environmental exposure can be expected but data on the ecotoxicological evaluation of nanoparticles are still scarce. The main purpose of this work was the evaluation of effects of TiO nanoparticles in several organisms, covering different trophic levels, using a battery of aquatic assays. Using fish as a vertebrate model organism tissue histological and ultrastructural observations and the stress enzyme activity were also studied. TiO nanoparticles (Aeroxide® P25), two phase composition of anatase (65%) and rutile (35%) with an average particle size value of 27.6±11 nm were used. Results on the EC for the tested aquatic organisms showed toxicity for the bacteria, the algae and the crustacean, being the algae the most sensitive tested organism. The aquatic plant showed no effect on growth. The fish showed no effect on a 21 day survival test, though at a biochemical level the cytosolic Glutathione-S-Transferase total activity, in intestines, showed a general significant decrease ( <0.05) after 14 days of exposure for all tested concentrations. The presence of TiO nanoparticles aggregates were observed in the intestine lumen but their internalization by intestine cells could not be confirmed.

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