Abstract
Background, aim, and scope
Manufactured nanoparticles (MNP) are expected to increase in production in near future. In response, their environmental fate and effects are intensively studied. Phytotoxicity of some types of nanoparticles has been observed for annual species in the seed germination and root elongation test. Yet, no results of toxicity tests with trees have been reported. Woody species, dominant in many ecosystems, may be vulnerable in particular due to the large porous wood compartment.
Materials and methods
This study tests the toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles on trees with the short-term willow tree transpiration test. TiO2 particles with 25- and 100-nm diameter were suspended in distilled water at concentrations of 0, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L (first test) and 0, 10, 20, and 50 mg/L (second test). Effects on transpiration, growth, and water use efficiency of exposed willow cuttings were monitored. The concentration of nanoparticles was measured by spectrophotometry.
Results
None of the measured effect parameters (growth, transpiration, and water use efficiency) showed any significant change during the test. Particles were rapidly lost from solution, probably due to sedimentation as a result of aggregation and also due to adsorption to roots. The loss of nanoparticles from solution was faster for particles with larger diameter and in the presence of trees.
Discussion
Willow trees were not sensitive to short-term exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles. Similar results were obtained for other plant species. Effects of nanoparticles were observed for zinc and zinc oxide particles, but these effects were probably due to heavy metal toxicity and not nanosize specific.
Conclusions
In summary, we came to the conclusion that woody species are not in particular vulnerable to nanosized TiO2 particles in the conditions, concentrations, and time periods used in this study.
Recommendations and perspectives
The preliminary results of this study should be confirmed with other types of MNP, other plant species, experiments in soil and experiments combining longer duration, and low exposure concentrations before a final conclusion in this issue can be made.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams LK, Lyon DY, Alvarez PJJ (2006) Comparative eco-toxicity of nanoscale TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO water suspensions. Water Res 40:3527–3532
Franklin MN, Rogers NJ, Apte SC, Batley GE, Gadd GE, Casey PS (2007) Comparative toxicity of nanoparticulate ZnO, bulk ZnO, and ZnCl2 to a freshwater microalga (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata): the importance of particle solubility. Environ Sci Technol 41:8484–8490
Hansen SF, Larsen BH, Olsen SI, Baun A (2007) Categories and hazard identification scheme of nanomaterials. Nanotoxicology 3:243–250
Hong F, Yang F, Liu C, Gao Q, Wan Z, Gu F, Wu C, Ma Z, Zhou J, Yang P (2005) Influences of nano-TiO2 on the chloroplast aging of spinach under light. Biol Trace Elem Res 104:249–260
Hund-Rinke K, Simon M (2006) Ecotoxic effect of photocatalytic active nanoparticles TiO2 on algae and daphnids. Environ Sci Pollut Res 13:225–232
Kus M, Gernjak W, Ibanez PF, Rodriguez SM, Galvez JB, Icli S (2006) A comparative study of supported TiO2 as photocatalyst in water decontamination at solar pilot plant scale. J Sol Energ Eng-T Asme 128:331–337
Larsen M, Trapp S (2006) Uptake of iron cyanide complexes into willow trees. Environ Sci Technol 40:1956–1961
Larsen M, Trapp S, Pirandello A (2004) Removal of cyanide by woody plants. Chemosphere 54:325–333
Larsen M, Ucisik AS, Trapp S (2005) Uptake, metabolism, accumulation and toxicity of cyanide in willow trees. Environ Sci Technol 39:2135–2142
Lin D, Xing B (2007) Phytotoxicity of nanoparticles: inhibition of seed germination and root growth. Environ Poll 150:243–250
Mayer P, Fernqvist MM, Christensen PS, Karlson U, Trapp S (2007) Enhanced diffusion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in artificial and natural aqueous solutions. Environ Sci Technol 41:6148–6155
Mc Farlane C (1995) Anatomy and physiology of plant conductive systems. In: Trapp S, Mc Farlane C (eds) Plant contamination: modeling and simulation of organic chemical processes. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, p 13
Murashov V (2006) Comments on ‘particle surface characteristics may play an important role in phytotoxicity of alumina nanoparticles’. Toxicol Lett 164:185–187
Navarro E, Baun A, Behra R, Hartmann NB, Filser J, Miao AJ, Santschi P, Sigg L (2008) Ecotoxicity of nanoparticles on algae, plants and fungi: state of the art and future needs. Ecotoxicology 17:372–386
Nel A, Xia T, Mädler L, Li N (2006) Toxic materials at the nanolevel. Science 311:622
Nowack B, Bucheli TD (2007) Occurrence, behavior and effects of nanoparticles in the environment. Environ Pollut 150:5–22
Oberdörster G, Oberdörster E, Oberdörster J (2005) Nanotoxicology: an emerging discipline evolving from studies of ultrafine particles. Environ Health Perspec 113:823
Sachs L (1992) Angewandte Statistik (applied statistics), 7th edn. Springer, Berlin
SCENHIR Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (2005) The appropriateness of existing methodologies to assess the potential risks associated with engineered and adventitious product of nanotechnologies. Report to the European Commission
Schachtschabel P, Blume H-P, Hartge K-H, Schwertmann U (1984) Lehrbuch der Bodenkunde, 11th edn. Stuttgart, Ferdinand Enke
Service RF (2004) Nanotoxicology: nanotechnology grows up. Science 304:1732
Sitte P, Ziegler H, Ehrendorfer F, Bresinsky A (1991) Lehrbuch der Botanik für Hochschulen, 33rd edn. Stuttgart, Gustav Fischer
Trapp S (2003) Can global biomass influence global chemical cycles. Stoch Env Res Risk A 17:235–237
Trapp S, Zambrano KC, Kusk KO, Karlson U (2000) A phytotoxicity test using transpiration of willows. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 39:154–160
Trapp S, Ciucani G, Sismilich M (2004) Toxicity of tributyltin to willow trees. Environ Sci Pollut Res 11:327–330
Ucisik AS, Trapp S, Kusk KO (2007) Uptake, accumulation, phytotoxicity and removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol in willow trees. Environ Toxicol Chem 26:1165–1171
Yang L, Watts DJ (2005) Particle surface characteristics may play an important role in phytotoxicity of alumina nanoparticles. Toxicol Lett 158:122–132
Yang F, Hong F, You W, Liu C, Gao F, Wu C, Yanng P (2006) Influences of nano-anatase TiO2 on the nitrogen metabolism of growing spinach. Biol Trace Elem Res 110:179–190
Yu XZ, Trapp S, Puhua Z, Chang W, Xishi Z (2004) Metabolism of cyanide by Chinese vegetation. Chemosphere 56:121–126
Yu XZ, Trapp S, Zhou P (2005) Phytotoxicity of cyanide to weeping willow trees. Environ Sci Pollut Res 12:109–113
Zheng L, Hong F, Lu S, Liu C (2005) Effect of nano-TiO2 on strength of naturally aged seeds and growth of spinach. Biol Trace Elem Res 104:83–91
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the European Commission, NanoImpactNet—European Network on the Health and Environmental Impact of Nanomaterials, FP7-NMP-2007-CSA-1. Thanks to Steffen Foss Hansen for providing good literature and Nanna Bloch Hartmann for providing MNP and help.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Seeger, E.M., Baun, A., Kästner, M. et al. Insignificant acute toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles to willow trees. J Soils Sediments 9, 46–53 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-008-0034-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-008-0034-0