Toxicological Effects of Emerging Nanoparticles on Models for Aquatic Organisms and Human Uptake - NANEAU

Coordinating Institution: CRP Gabriel Lippmann
Contracting Partner(s): Norwegian School of Veterinary Sciences
From: 01/03/2009
To: 28/02/2011
Budget: 452,000.00€
Contact(s): Gutleb Arno

Summary

Nanotechnology is very promising having hundreds of industrial applications. The large scale of manufacture and the use of nanoparticles (NPs) in numerous products however, will unavoidably lead to their release in the aquatic systems. Although nanosized particles are present in nature, the release of engineered nanoparticles with novel and enhanced properties may lead to unexpected effects on living systems and environmental health.

There is a lack of knowledge concerning the toxicological effects of nanomaterials on wildlife and humans as well as their interaction with other common environmental contaminants. NanEAU is aiming to adapt and develop test protocols for the evaluation of toxicity of emerging nanoparticles as well as to develop novel predicting biomarkers using genomic and proteomic approaches. Furthermore, the potential uptake and intracellular localisation will be studied in in vivo and in vitro models. NanEAU aims to assess the ecotoxicological effects of the commonly used TiO2 (21 nm) and Ag (20 nm) nanoparticles on the model aquatic organism Daphnia magna (adaptation of the OECD 202 guideline) and the use of the inhibition of Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence as a potential pre-screening assay (adaptation to a 96-well plate format).

Characterised nanoparticles and dispersion protocols were provided by the FP7 project NANOTEST and the Norwegian-Polish project NorPol. Bulky TiO2 as well as Ag (200 nm) and AgNO3 were used for comparison. The results show no effects of TiO2 NPs on D. magna mobility despite the high levels tested (0.05-500 mg/L). Both bulky and nano-TiO2 caused an increase in luminescence in a concentration dependent manner starting at concentrations higher than 20 mg/L and 200 mg/L for nano-TiO2 and bulky TiO2, respectively.

Nano-Ag caused a 35% immobilisation at a concentration of 0.1 mg/L while Ag 200 nm had no effect at the same concentration. Both Ag 20 nm and 200 nm caused 100% immobilisation above 1 mg/L. Nano-Ag and Ag 200 nm inhibited bioluminescence by 12% and 15 % respectively at a concentration of 10 mg/L, that was the highest tested. At the current stage we can conclude that the size of Ag particles influences the effects in Daphnia magna. A co-culture system of resorbing Caco-2 and mucous producing cells HT29-MTX was successfully established and will be used to test the uptake of nanoparticles.

Figure 1: CACO-2/HT29-MTX coculture with increasing % of HT29-MTX that will be used to study intestinal uptake

Figure 2: Desmodesmus subspicatus, Algae species that is one of the test organisms