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Characterizing the behavior, uptake, and toxicity of NM300K silver nanoparticles in Caenorhabditis elegans
Author(s) -
Kleiven Merethe,
Rossbach Lisa M.,
GallegoUrrea Julian A.,
Brede Dag A.,
Oughton Deborah H.,
Coutris Claire
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.4144
Subject(s) - bioaccumulation , silver nanoparticle , toxicity , nanotoxicology , caenorhabditis elegans , ec50 , chemistry , nuclear chemistry , environmental chemistry , toxicology , mode of action , escherichia coli , nanoparticle , biology , nanotechnology , in vitro , biochemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , gene
Abstract Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, we addressed the potential linkage among toxicity of NM300K Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs), their particle size distribution, and the presence of dissolved Ag in the test media. Of the 3 endpoints assessed (growth, fertility, and reproduction), reproduction was the most sensitive, with the 50% effect concentration (EC50) ranging from 0.26 to 0.84 mg Ag L −1 and 0.08 to 0.11 mg Ag L −1 for NM300K and AgNO 3 , respectively. Silver uptake by C. elegans was similar for both forms of Ag, whereas bioaccumulation was higher in AgNO 3 exposure. The observed differences in toxicity between NM300K and AgNO 3 did not correlate with bioaccumulated Ag, which suggests that toxicity is a function of the type of exposing agent (AgNPs vs AgNO 3 ) and its mode of action. Before addition of the food source ( Escherichia coli ), size fractionation revealed that dissolved Ag comprised 13 to 90% and 4 to 8% of total Ag in the AgNO 3 and NM300K treatments, respectively. No dissolved Ag was detectable in the actual test media due to immediate Ag adsorption to bacteria. The results of the present study indicate that information on behavior and characterization of exposure conditions is essential for nanotoxicity studies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1799–1810. © 2018 SETAC