Humic acid ameliorates nanoparticle-induced developmental toxicity in zebrafish

From National Research Council Canada

DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C6EN00408C
AuthorSearch for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: 1; Search for: 1; Search for:
Name affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada. Nanotechnology
FormatText, Article
Journal titleEnvironmental Science: Nano
ISSN2051-8153
2051-8161
Volume4
Issue1
Pages127–137
Abstract
Many aquatic toxicity experiments are not performed under realistic environmental conditions. We examined several inorganic and organic nanoparticle (NP) formulations (citrate-capped silver NPs, carboxylic acid functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes, mercaptoundecanoic acid functionalized cadmium selenide NPs, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-coated zinc oxide [ZnO] NPs, Nile red-loaded PAA nanocapsules, and uncoated sphere- and leaf-shaped ZnO NPs) to determine whether the presence of humic acid (HA) affects the physicochemical properties (e.g. size, zeta potential, and particle dissolution) of NPs in suspension and ameliorates noted effects on zebrafish (Danio rerio) development. We investigated the toxicological effects of these NPs with and without HA addition during early stages of zebrafish development by measuring survival, hatching success, length, head-tail angle, movement, and protease activity in the chorionic fluid, as well as NP interaction with the chorion. Though NP-induced effects on survival were not mitigated by the presence of HA, hatching inhibition and reduced head-tail angle in developing zebrafish caused by certain NPs were restored to near control values by HA addition. Interestingly, despite the ameliorating effects noted with the addition of HA, combined NP and HA treatments still resulted in reduced enzyme activity and NP interaction with the zebrafish embryo. We suggest that observed effects were NP-specific and not attributed to ionic metal species. In the interest of performing more environmentally representative toxicity studies, HA should be included in standardized laboratory nanotoxicity tests since it alters certain biological effects.
Publication date
PublisherRoyal Society of Chemistry
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
NPARC number23003101
Export citationExport as RIS
Report a correctionReport a correction
Record identifier5ac6374e-95c5-4f46-82c6-1b2ae1c67214
Record created2018-04-20
Record modified2020-03-16
Report a problem on this page
Date modified: