Effects of realistic concentrations of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles in Prochilodus lineatus juvenile fish

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 23; no. 6; pp. 5179 - 5188
• Main Authors: Miranda, R. R, Damaso da Silveira, A. L. R, de Jesus, I. P, Grötzner, S. R, Voigt, C. L, Campos, S. X, Garcia, J. R. E, Randi, M. A. F, Ribeiro, C. A. Oliveira, Filipak Neto, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-03-2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: acetylcholinesterase; Animals; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomarkers; brain; Cytotoxicity; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Experiments; Fish; fish health; Fishes; Fresh Water; freshwater; Freshwater fish; gills; Gills - drug effects; Gills - metabolism; hyperplasia; juveniles; Laboratories; leukocytes; Liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Metal concentrations; Metal Nanoparticles - toxicity; Metal oxides; mortality; muscles; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; necrosis; Neurotoxicity; Organisms; Oxidative stress; Particle size; Prochilodus lineatus; Proteins; Research Article; Studies; subchronic exposure; Titanium - toxicity; Titanium dioxide; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water Pollution Control; zinc oxide; Zinc Oxide - toxicity; Oxidative stress; Fish; Cytotoxicity; Neurotoxicity; Metal oxide nanoparticle
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5732-8

The impact of nanoparticles on fish health is still a matter of debate, since nanotechnology is quite recent. In this study, freshwater benthonic juvenile fish Prochilodus lineatus were exposed through water to three concentrations of TiO₂ (0.1, 1, and 10 μg l⁻¹) and ZnO (7, 70, and 700 μg l⁻¹) nanoparticles, as well as to a mixture of both (TiO₂ 1 μg l⁻¹ + ZnO 70 μg l⁻¹) for 5 and 30 days. Nanoparticle characterization revealed an increase of aggregate size in the function of concentration, but suspensions were generally stable. Fish mortality was high at subchronic exposure to 70 and 700 μg l⁻¹ of ZnO. Nanoparticle exposure led to decreased acetylcholinesterase activity either in the muscle or in the brain, depending on particle composition (muscle—TiO₂ 10 μg l⁻¹; brain—ZnO 7 and 700 μg l⁻¹), and protein oxidative damage increased in the brain (ZnO 70 μg l⁻¹) and gills (ZnO 70 μg l⁻¹ and mixture) but not in the liver. Exposed fish had more frequent alterations in the liver (necrosis, vascular congestion, leukocyte infiltration, and basophilic foci) and gills (hyperplasia and epithelial damages, e.g., epithelial disorganization and epithelial loss) than the control fish. Thus, predicted concentrations of TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles caused detectable effects on P. lineatus that may have important consequences to fish health. But, these effects are much more subtle than those usually reported in the scientific literature for high concentrations or doses of metal nanoparticles.