title: Acute toxicological effects of copper nanoparticles in vivo.
abstract: To assess the toxicity of copper nanoparticles (23.5 nm) in vivo, LD(50), morphological changes, pathological examinations and blood biochemical indexes of experimental mice are studied comparatively with micro-copper particles (17 microm) and cupric ions (CuCl(2).2H(2)O). The LD(50) for the nano-, micro-copper particles and cupric ions exposed to mice via oral gavage are 413, >5000 and 110 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The toxicity classes of nano and ionic copper particles both are class 3 (moderately toxic), and micro-copper is class 5 (practically non-toxic) of Hodge and Sterner Scale. Kidney, liver and spleen are found to be target organs of nano-copper particles. Nanoparticles induce gravely toxicological effects and heavy injuries on kidney, liver and spleen of experimental mice, but micro-copper particles do not, on mass basis. Results indicate a gender dependent feature of nanotoxicity. Several factors such as huge specific surface area, ultrahigh reactivity, exceeding consumption of H(+), etc. that likely cause the grave nanotoxicity observed in vivo are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Lab for Bio-Environmental Health Sciences of Nanoscale Materials, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 918, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Gengmei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Chunying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yuliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Tiancheng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhifang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Chuanfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Baocheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010316:Particle Size; D012737:Sex Factors; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003300:Copper