Comparative Aquatic Toxicity of Gold Nanoparticles and Ionic Gold Using a Species Sensitivity Distribution Approach

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (nAu) are used in drug delivery systems allowing for targeted cellular distribution. The effects of increased use and release of nanoparticles into the environment are not well known. A species sensitivity distribution (SSD) allows for the ecotoxicological hazard assessment of a chemical based on single species toxicity tests. Aquatic toxicity needs to be related to particle characterization in order to understand the effects. The behaviour of nAu in the medium changed as the concentration increased. The toxic potential of ionic gold and nAu was expressed as a hazardous concentration where 5% of species will be harmed (HC5). The HC5 for nAu was much higher (42.78 mg/L) compared to the ionic gold (2.44 mg/L). The differences between the hazard potentials of nAu and ionic gold were attributed to the nAu not releasing any Au ions into solution during the exposures and following an aggregation theory response. Exposures to ionic gold on the other hand followed a clear dose dependent response based on the concentration of the ionic metal. Although SSDs present an indication of the relative hazard potential of nanoparticles, the true worth can only be achieved once other nanoparticle characteristics and their behavior in the environment are also considered.

Reducing the effective dose of cisplatin using gold nanoparticles as carriers

“…We placed the samples in aqueous solution. H 2 O produces a large signal between 3300 and 3500 cm −1 where hydroxyls groups occur (Botha et al 2015). The AuNps show a characteristic spectrum of this type when they are in aqueous solution (Botha et al 2015).…”

“…H 2 O produces a large signal between 3300 and 3500 cm −1 where hydroxyls groups occur (Botha et al 2015). The AuNps show a characteristic spectrum of this type when they are in aqueous solution (Botha et al 2015). When we functionalized the AuNps with PEG, we observed the C=O bonds, proper to this polymer (at 1634 and 1633 cm −1 ).…”

Hypothetical Thresholds for Effects of Platinum Group Elements

“…al., 2017) including transgenerational effects by maternal exposure (Kim, Kwak, & An, 2013). Rarely, also ionic gold has been included (Botha, James, & Wepener, 2015). A European Food Safety Authority [EFSA] ANS Panel (2016) noted the absence of toxicological data on gold used as a food additive and considered the data to be too limited to perform a risk assessment for the additive.…”

Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Ionic and Colloidal Gold on the Microalga Dunaliella Salina in Microplate Test System

“…Препараты КЗ-15 не обладали токсичностью вплоть до кон-центраций 100 мг Au/л. Полученные результаты в принципе соответствуют отмеченной в ряде работ тенденции, заключающейся в том, что для фито-и зоопланктона ионы металлов значительно более токсичны, чем металлические наночастицы размерного диапазона 10-100 нм [2,19]. К настоя-щему моменту отсутствуют работы, посвященные оценке биосовместимости ультрамалых золотых наночастиц c микроводорослями.…”