Open AccessToxicity Assessment of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Early Life Stages
Author(s) -
Xiaoshan Zhu,
Shengyan Tian,
Zhonghua Cai
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0046286
Subject(s) - danio , zebrafish , developmental toxicity , toxicity , nanoparticle , iron oxide nanoparticles , aquatic toxicology , hatching , acute toxicity , iron oxide , environmental toxicology , toxicology , nanotechnology , biology , chemistry , materials science , ecology , biochemistry , genetics , fetus , pregnancy , organic chemistry , gene
Iron oxide nanoparticles have been explored recently for their beneficial applications in many biomedical areas, in environmental remediation, and in various industrial applications. However, potential risks have also been identified with the release of nanoparticles into the environment. To study the ecological effects of iron oxide nanoparticles on aquatic organisms, we used early life stages of the zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) to examine such effects on embryonic development in this species. The results showed that ≥10 mg/L of iron oxide nanoparticles instigated developmental toxicity in these embryos, causing mortality, hatching delay, and malformation. Moreover, an early life stage test using zebrafish embryos/larvae is also discussed and recommended in this study as an effective protocol for assessing the potential toxicity of nanoparticles. This study is one of the first on developmental toxicity in fish caused by iron oxide nanoparticles in aquatic environments. The results will contribute to the current understanding of the potential ecotoxicological effects of nanoparticles and support the sustainable development of nanotechnology.