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Title:

Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Increase Sensitivity in the Next Generation of the Water Flea Daphnia magna

Date:

11/2012

Link to Journal Abstract

Abstract:

The nanoparticle industry is expected to become a trillion dollar business in the near future. Therefore, the unintentional introduction of nanoparticles into the environment is increasingly likely. However, currently applied risk-assessment practices require further adaptation to accommodate the intrinsic nature of engineered nanoparticles. Combining a chronic flow-through exposure system with subsequent acute toxicity tests for the standard test organism Daphnia magna, we found that juvenile offspring of adults that were previously exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles exhibit a significantly increased sensitivity to titanium dioxide nanoparticles compared with the offspring of unexposed adults, as displayed by lower 96 h-EC50 values. This observation is particularly remarkable because adults exhibited no differences among treatments in terms of typically assessed endpoints, such as sensitivity, number of offspring, or energy reserves. Hence, the present study suggests that ecotoxicological research requires further development to include the assessment of the environmental risks of nanoparticles for the next and hence not directly exposed generation, which is currently not included in standard test protocols.

Non-technical Summary:

For this study, the sensitivity of juvenile offspring of adults that were previously exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles when compared with the offspring of unexposed adults was investigated using a combination of a chronic flow-through exposure system with subsequent acute toxicity tests.

Content Emphasis

Peer Reviewed Journal Article

Exposure Or Hazard Target

Aquatic Ecosystem

Exposure Pathway

Other/Unspecified

Method Of Study

Environmental Study

Paper Type

Environmental Fate and Transport

Particle Type

Oxide