An ecotoxicological characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC).
The pulp and paper industry in Canada is developing technology for the production and use of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). A key component of the developmental work is an assessment of potential environmental risks. Towards this goal, NCC samples as well as carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC), a surrogate of the parent cellulosic material, were subjected to an ecotoxicological evaluation. This involved toxicity tests with rainbow trout hepatocytes and nine aquatic species. The hepatocytes were most sensitive (EC20s between 10 and 200 mg/l) to NCC, although neither NCC nor CMC caused genotoxicity. In tests with the nine species, NCC affected the reproduction of the fathead minnow at (IC25) 0.29 g/l, but no other effects on endpoints such as survival and growth occurred in the other species at concentrations below 1 g/l, which was comparable to CMC. Based on this ecotoxicological characterization, NCC was found to have low toxicity potential and environmental risk.
Kovacs
Tibor
T
FPInnovations - Paprican Division, Pointe-Claire, QC, Canada H9R 3J9. tibor.kovacs@fpinnovations.ca
Naish
Valerie
V
O'Connor
Brian
B
Blaise
Christian
C
Gagné
Francois
F
Hall
Lauren
L
Trudeau
Vance
V
Martel
Pierre
P
D000818:Animals; D002170:Canada; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000633:toxicity; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000502:physiology; D003621:Daphnia; D054750:Ecotoxicology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008297:Male; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D015027:Zebrafish
D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002482:Cellulose; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium