Effect of nanosized TiO2 particles on the development of Xenopus laevis embryos

Abstract

This paper reports the toxic properties of nano-TiO 2 on 2 different early life stages of Xenopus laevis. Synthesis of nano-TiO 2 particles was carried out by the hydrothermal method. Characterization of nanoparticles was performed using spectral techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and a particle-size analyzer. Embryos at the 8th stage and tadpoles at the 46th stage were exposed to 7 concentrations of nano-TiO 2 in the range of 5 to 320 ppm. After 96 h of exposure, the mortality percentage of each exposure concentration was calculated and the activity of enzyme biomarkers acetylcholinesterase, carboxylesterase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase were determined in living embryos and tadpoles. None of the tested concentrations of TiO 2 caused statistically significant mortality or malformation (only for the embryo test) as compared to the control groups. Furthermore, we did not observe any significant changes in enzyme activities in tadpole samples from the 46th stage, although some minor changes not related to the concentrations were observed in embryos.

Toxicological aspects of photocatalytic degradation of selected xenobiotics with nano-sized Mn-doped TiO2

“…The authors suggest that TiO 2 NPs do not affect survival of X. laevis embryos, even at very high concentrations (Bacchetta et al, 2012;Birhanli et al, 2014). However, our results showed that Mn-doped TiO 2 NPs were slightly lethal in X. laevis embryos.…”

Rethinking Nano‐TiO2 Safety: Overview of Toxic Effects in Humans and Aquatic Animals

“…[147] Nano-TiO 2 might also affect the CNS development as was shown by inhibition in carboxylesterase activity and increases in acetylcholinesterase activity in X. laevis embryos after exposure to high concentrations of nano-TiO 2 (160 and 320 mg L −1 ). [148] Factors Modulating the Nano-TiO 2 Toxicity: Similar to bivalves, the polymorph, and size of nano-TiO 2 modulate nanoparticle toxicity to aquatic vertebrates including fish and amphibians. Thus, Piaractus mesopotamicus exposed to a nano-TiO 2 anatase/ rutile mixture under UV light had a higher glutathione S-transferase activity than their counterparts exposed to nano-TiO 2 anatase, indicating the higher toxicity of nano-TiO 2 anatase/ rutile mixture.…”

Toxicological Effects of Silver Nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on Different Physiological Parameters of Tadpoles, Polypedates maculatus

“…In addition to these, less attention has been paid on them regarding ecotoxicology compared to other vertebrates (Mouchet et al, 2008;Nations et al, 2011;Bacchetta et al, 2012;Zhang et al, 2012). Relatively few studies on effects of carbon nanotubes, cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles (Bour et al, 2015), silver (Ag) nanoparticles copper (II) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles, titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (Bachetta et al, 2012;Birhanli et al, 2014;Nations et al, 2011;Zhang et al, 2012) on amphibians have been published; which have primarily utilized tadpoles of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) as model organisms. In this study, the tadpoles of the tree frog, Polypedates maculatus (Gray, 1830) were selected to evaluate the toxicity of Ag-NPs.…”