title: Toxicity of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on green alga Chlorella vulgaris.
abstract: Toxicity of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) was investigated on Chlorella vulgaris cells exposed during 72 hours to Fe3O4 (SPION-1), Co0.2Zn0.8Fe2O4 (SPION-2), or Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (SPION-3) to a range of concentrations from 12.5 to 400 μg mL(-1). Under these treatments, toxicity impact was indicated by the deterioration of photochemical activities of photosynthesis, the induction of oxidative stress, and the inhibition of cell division rate. In comparison to SPION-2 and -3, exposure to SPION-1 caused the highest toxic effects on cellular division due to a stronger production of reactive oxygen species and deterioration of photochemical activity of Photosystem II. This study showed the potential source of toxicity for three SPION suspensions, having different chemical compositions, estimated by the change of different biomarkers. In this toxicological investigation, algal model C. vulgaris demonstrated to be a valuable bioindicator of SPION toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, Canada H3C 3P8 ; Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barhoumi
authors.affiliation: Département de Chimie, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, Canada H3C 3P8.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dewez
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000187:drug effects*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C000499:ferric oxide