Differential Effect of Solar Light in Increasing the Toxicity of Silver and Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles to a Fish Cell Line and Zebrafish Embryos

作者：Saji George, H.C. Gardner, Eng Khuan Seng, Hengky Chang, Chunyan Wang, Crystal Hay Yu Fang, Mark Richards, Suresh Valiyaveettil, Woon‐Khiong Chan · 发表于：Environmental Science & Technology · 年份：2014 · DOI：10.1021/es405768n · 被引用次数：108 · 研究领域：Nanoparticles: synthesis and applications、Healthcare and Environmental Waste Management、Microplastics and Plastic Pollution

The increasing use of silver (Ag) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) in consumer products and their inevitable seepage into the environment prompted us to investigate their potential toxicity to a fish cell line (BF-2) and zebrafish embryos under dark and Simulated Solar Light (SSL) exposure conditions. Using high throughput screening (HTS) platforms, we showed that the oxidative stress-dependent cytotoxicity and embryonic toxicity of NPs were significantly increased upon exposure to SSL. While, the toxicity of TiO2 NPs under SSL exposure could be explained by hydroxyl radical generation, the enhanced toxicity of Ag NPs under SSL exposure was due to surface oxidation and physicochemical modification of Ag NPs and shedding of Ag+, leading to an increased bioavailability of silver. Our observations that solar light could induce physicochemical transformation of TiO2 and Ag NPs and enhance their toxic potential emphasizes the need for conducting future toxicity studies under environmentally relevant exposure conditions to guide decision making on the safe handling of NPs.