6 research outputs found
Nanoparticle interactions with co-existing contaminants: joint toxicity, bioaccumulation and risk
<p>With their growing production and application, engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly discharged into the environment. The released NPs can potentially interact with pre-existing contaminants, leading to biological effects (bioaccumulation and/or toxicity) that are poorly understood. Most studies on NPs focus on single analyte exposure; the existing literature on joint toxicity of NPs and co-existing contaminants is rather limited but beginning to develop rapidly. This is the first review paper evaluating the current state of knowledge regarding the joint effects of NPs and co-contaminants. Here, we review: (1) methods for investigating and evaluating joint effects of NPs and co-contaminants; (2) simultaneous toxicities from NPs co-exposed with organic contaminants, metal/metalloid ions, dissolved organic matter (DOM), inorganic ligands and additional NPs; and (3) the influence of NPs co-exposure on the bioaccumulation of organic contaminants and heavy metal ions, as well as the influence of contaminants on NPs bioaccumulation. In addition, future research needs are discussed so as to better understand risk associated with NPs-contaminant co-exposure.</p
Cerium Biomagnification in a Terrestrial Food Chain: Influence of Particle Size and Growth Stage
Mass-flow modeling of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) indicates
that a major fraction of released particles partition into soils and
sediments. This has aggravated the risk of contaminating agricultural
fields, potentially threatening associated food webs. To assess possible
ENM trophic transfer, cerium accumulation from cerium oxide nanoparticles
(nano-CeO<sub>2</sub>) and their bulk equivalent (bulk-CeO<sub>2</sub>) was investigated in producers and consumers from a terrestrial
food chain. Kidney bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris var. red hawk) grown in soil contaminated with 1000–2000
mg/kg nano-CeO<sub>2</sub> or 1000 mg/kg bulk-CeO<sub>2</sub> were
presented to Mexican bean beetles (Epilachna varivestis), which were then consumed by spined soldier bugs (Podisus maculiventris). Cerium accumulation in plant
and insects was independent of particle size. After 36 days of exposure
to 1000 mg/kg nano- and bulk-CeO<sub>2</sub>, roots accumulated 26
and 19 μg/g Ce, respectively, and translocated 1.02 and 1.3
μg/g Ce, respectively, to shoots. The beetle larvae feeding
on nano-CeO<sub>2</sub> exposed leaves accumulated low levels of Ce
since ∼98% of Ce was excreted in contrast to bulk<i>-</i>CeO<sub>2</sub>. However, in nano-CeO<sub>2</sub> exposed adults,
Ce in tissues was higher than Ce excreted. Additionally, Ce content
in tissues was biomagnified by a factor of 5.3 from the plants to
adult beetles and further to bugs
Particle-Size Dependent Accumulation and Trophic Transfer of Cerium Oxide through a Terrestrial Food Chain
The
accumulation and trophic transfer of nanoparticle (NP) or bulk
CeO<sub>2</sub> through a terrestrial food chain was evaluated. Zucchini
(<i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L.) was planted in soil with 0 or
1228 μg/g bulk or NP CeO<sub>2</sub>. After 28 d, zucchini tissue
Ce content was determined by ICP-MS. Leaf tissue from each treatment
was used to feed crickets (<i>Acheta domesticus</i>). After
14 d, crickets were analyzed for Ce content or were fed to wolf spiders
(family Lycosidae). NP CeO<sub>2</sub> significantly suppressed flower
mass relative to control and bulk treatments. The Ce content of zucchini
was significantly greater when exposure was in the NP form. The flowers,
leaves, stems, and roots of zucchini exposed to bulk CeO<sub>2</sub> contained 93.3, 707, 331, and 119 000 ng/g, respectively;
NP-exposed plants contained 153, 1510, 479, and 567 000 ng/g, respectively.
Crickets fed NP CeO<sub>2</sub>-exposed zucchini leaves contained
significantly more Ce (33.6 ng/g) than did control or bulk-exposed
insects (15.0–15.2 ng/g). Feces from control, bulk, and NP-exposed
crickets contained Ce at 248, 393, and 1010 ng/g, respectively. Spiders
that consumed crickets from control or bulk treatments contained nonquantifiable
Ce; NP-exposed spiders contained Ce at 5.49 ng/g. These findings show
that NP CeO<sub>2</sub> accumulates in zucchini at greater levels
than equivalent bulk materials and that this greater NP intake results
in trophic transfer and possible food chain contamination
Environmental Effects of Nanoceria on Seed Production of Common Bean (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>): A Proteomic Analysis
The
rapidly growing literature on the response of edible plants
to nanoceria has provided evidence of its uptake and bioaccumulation,
which delineates a possible route of entry into the food chain. However,
little is known about how the residing organic matter in soil may
affect the bioavailability and resulting impacts of nanoceria on plants.
Here, we examined the effect of nanoceria exposure (62.5–500
mg/kg) on kidney bean (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>) productivity
and seed quality as a function of soil organic matter content. Cerium
accumulation in the seeds produced from plants in organic matter enriched
soil showed a dose-dependent increase, unlike in low organic matter
soil treatments. Seeds obtained upon nanoceria exposure in soils with
higher organic matter were more susceptible to changes in nutrient
quality. A quantitative proteomic analysis of the seeds produced upon
nanoceria exposure provided evidence for upregulation of stress-related
proteins at 62.5 and 125 mg/kg nanoceria treatments. Although the
plants did not exhibit overt toxicity, the major seed proteins primarily
associated with nutrient storage (phaseolin) and carbohydrate metabolism
(lectins) were significantly down-regulated in a dose dependent manner
upon nanoceria exposure. This study thus suggests that nanoceria exposures
may negatively affect the nutritional quality of kidney beans at the
cellular and molecular level. More confirmatory studies with nanoceria
along different species using alternative and orthogonal “omic”
tools are currently under active investigation, which will enable
the identification of biomarkers of exposure and susceptibility
Weathering in soil increases nanoparticle CuO bioaccumulation within a terrestrial food chain
<p>This study evaluates the bioaccumulation of unweathered (U) and weathered (W) CuO in NP, bulk and ionic form (0–400 mg/kg) by lettuce exposed for 70 d in soil co-contaminated with field incurred chlordane. To evaluate CuO trophic transfer, leaves were fed to crickets (<i>Acheta domestica</i>) for 15 d, followed by insect feeding to lizards (<i>Anolis carolinensis</i>). Upon weathering, the root Cu content of the NP treatment increased 214% (327 ± 59.1 mg/kg) over unaged treatment. Cu root content decreased in bulk and ionic treatments from 70–130 mg/kg to 13–26 mg/kg upon aging in soil. Micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) analysis of W-NP-exposed roots showed a homogenous distribution of Cu (and Ca) in the tissues. Additionally, micro X-ray absorption near-edge (μ-XANES) analysis of W-NP-exposed roots showed near complete transformation of CuO to Cu (I)-sulfur and oxide complexes in the tissues, whereas in unweathered treatment, most root Cu remained as CuO. The expression level of nine genes involved in Cu transport shows that the mechanisms of CuO NPs (and bulk) response/accumulation are different than ionic Cu. The chlordane accumulation by lettuce upon co-exposure to CuO NPs significantly increased upon weathering. Conversely, bulk and ionic exposures decreased pesticide accumulation by plant upon weathering. The Cu cricket fecal content from U-NP-exposed insects was significantly greater than the bulk or ion treatments, suggesting a higher initial NP accumulation followed by significantly greater elimination during depuration. In the lizard, Cu content in the intestine, body and head did not differ as a function of weathering. This study demonstrates that CuO NPs may undergo transformation processes in soil upon weathering that subsequently impact NPs availability in terrestrial food chains.</p
Molecular Response of Crop Plants to Engineered Nanomaterials
Functional
toxicology has enabled the identification of genes involved
in conferring tolerance and sensitivity to engineered nanomaterial
(ENM) exposure in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Several genes were found to be involved in metabolic
functions, stress response, transport, protein synthesis, and DNA
repair. Consequently, analysis of physiological parameters, metal
content (through ICP-MS quantification), and gene expression (by RT-qPCR)
of A. thaliana orthologue genes were
performed across different plant species of agronomic interest to
highlight putative biomarkers of exposure and effect related to ENMs.
This approach led to the identification of molecular markers in Solanum lycopersicum L. and Cucurbita
pepo L. (tomato and zucchini) that might not only
indicate exposure to ENMs (CuO, CeO<sub>2</sub>, and La<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) but also provide mechanistic insight into response
to these materials. Through Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, the target
genes were mapped in complex interatomic networks representing molecular
pathways, cellular components, and biological processes involved in
ENM response. The transcriptional response of 38 (out of 204) candidate
genes studied varied according to particle type, size, and plant species.
Importantly, some of the genes studied showed potential as biomarkers
of ENM exposure and effect and may be useful for risk assessment in
foods and in the environment