title: Toxicity of nanoparticulate and bulk ZnO, Al2O3 and TiO2 to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Limited information is available on the environmental behavior and associated potential risk of manufactured oxide nanoparticles (NPs). In this research, toxicity of nanoparticulate and bulk ZnO, Al(2)O(3) and TiO(2) were examined to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans with Escherichia coli as a food source. Parallel experiments with dissolved metal ions from NPs were also conducted. The 24-h median lethal concentration (LC(50)) and sublethal endpoints were assessed. Both NPs and their bulk counterparts were toxic, inhibiting growth and especially the reproductive capability of the nematode. The 24-h LC(50) for ZnO NPs (2.3 mg L(-1)) and bulk ZnO was not significantly different, but significantly different between Al(2)O(3) NPs (82 mg L(-1)) and bulk Al(2)O(3) (153 mg L(-1)), and between TiO(2) NPs (80 mg L(-1)) and bulk TiO(2) (136 mg L(-1)). Oxide solubility influenced the toxicity of ZnO and Al(2)O(3) NPs, but nanoparticle-dependent toxicity was indeed observed for the investigated NPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Stockbridge Hall, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
authors.forename: Huanhua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wick
authors.forename: Baoshan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012995:Solubility; D014025:Titanium / Q000633:toxicity*; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D015034:Zinc Oxide