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Toxicity and genotoxicity of organic and inorganic nanoparticles to the bacteria Vibrio fischeri and Salmonella typhimurium

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Abstract

The present work aimed at evaluating the toxicity and genotoxicity of two organic (vesicles composed of sodium dodecyl sulphate/didodecyl dimethylammonium bromide—SDS/DDAB and of monoolein and sodium oelate—Mo/NaO) and four inorganic (titanium oxide—TiO2, silicon titanium—TiSiO4, Lumidot™-CdSe/ZnS, and gold nanorods) nanoparticles (NP), suspended in two aqueous media (Milli Q® water and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) hardwater), to the bacteria Vibrio fischeri (Microtox® test) and Salmonella typhimurium-his − (Ames® test with strains TA98 and TA100). Aiming a better understanding of these biological responses physical and chemical characterization of the studied NP suspensions was carried out. Results denoted a high aggregation state of the NP in the aqueous suspensions, with the exception of SDS/DDAB and Mo/NaO vesicles, and of nanogold suspended in Milli Q water. This higher aggregation was consistent with the low values of zeta potential, revealing the instability of the suspensions. Regarding toxicity data, except for nano TiO2, the tested NP significantly inhibited bioluminescence of V. fischeri. Genotoxic effects were only induced by SDS/DDAB and TiO2 for the strain TA98. A wide range of toxicity responses was observed for the six tested NP, differing by more than 5 orders of magnitude, and suggesting different modes of action of the tested NP.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through two Pos-Doc scholarships (SFRH/BD/26801/2006 and SFRH/BPD/65410/2009), FSE and POPH funds (Programa Ciência 2007), and through the bilateral cooperation FCT/CNPq. Thanks are also due to Ineide Pinheiro, for all the assistance given with the manipulation and usage of the Malvern equipment and software.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    I. Lopes, A. M. V. M. Soares, F. Gonçalves & R. Pereira

  2. IMAR—Instituto do Mar, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Apartado 3046, 3001-401, Coimbra, Portugal

    R. Ribeiro

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-290, Coimbra, Portugal

    F. E. Antunes & M. G. Rasteiro

  4. Departamento de Quimica & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    T. A. P. Rocha-Santos

  5. ISEIT/Viseu, Instituto Piaget, Estrada do Alto do Gaio, Galifonge, Lordosa, 3515-776, Viseu, Portugal

    T. A. P. Rocha-Santos

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  1. I. Lopes
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Lopes, I., Ribeiro, R., Antunes, F.E. et al. Toxicity and genotoxicity of organic and inorganic nanoparticles to the bacteria Vibrio fischeri and Salmonella typhimurium . Ecotoxicology 21, 637–648 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-011-0808-9

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