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Toxicity and Ecotoxicity Assessment of Nanomaterials by In Vitro and...
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Toxicity and Ecotoxicity Assessment of Nanomaterials by In Vitro and In Vivo Models

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Medicines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2024) | Viewed by 5500

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Maria Pilar Vinardell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: nanotoxicology; nanomaterials; in vitro models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last years, consumers’ concerns about the safety of nanomaterials have been increasing, and it is necessary to have a clear and serious scientific information about the potential toxicological and ecotoxicological effects of nanomaterials in order to have an opinion. Another important point is the discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of these materials. The different in vitro methodologies employed to study toxicology and ecotoxicology should be described in detail, focusing on the potential interaction of nanomaterials with the main cytotoxic assays. Dosimetry of nanomaterials is another important aspect in toxicological studies for these nanomaterials. The lack of standardized methodologies to study toxicology of nanomaterials should be a point of discussion. 

The present Special Issue in Nanomaterials is aimed to present the current state-of-the-art in the toxicological and ecotoxicological effects of different nanomaterials. It aims to attract both academic and industrial researchers in order to foster the current knowledge of nanomaterials toxicological and ecotoxicological effects.

Prof. Dr. Maria Pilar Vinardell
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nanomaterials
  • toxicology
  • ecotoxicology
  • hazard
  • risk
  • nanoparticles
  • ZnO
  • TiO2
  • safety

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 13370 KiB  
Article
Ecotoxicological Effects of TiO2 P25 Nanoparticles Aqueous Suspensions on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Eleutheroembryos
by Melissa I. Ortiz-Román, Ileska M. Casiano-Muñiz and Felix R. Román-Velázquez
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(4), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14040373 - 17 Feb 2024
Viewed by 717
Abstract
Among nanoparticles (NPs), titanium dioxide is one of the most highly manufactured worldwide and widely used in multiple products for both industrial use and personal care products. This increases the probability of release into aquatic environments, potentially affecting these ecosystems. The present study [...] Read more.
Among nanoparticles (NPs), titanium dioxide is one of the most highly manufactured worldwide and widely used in multiple products for both industrial use and personal care products. This increases the probability of release into aquatic environments, potentially affecting these ecosystems. The present study aimed to evaluate TiO2 P25 NP toxicity in zebrafish embryos and eleutheroembryos by evaluating LC50, hatching rate, embryo development, and chemical analysis of the TiO2 concentration accumulated in eleutheroembryo tissues. Zebrafish embryos ~2 h post-fertilization (hpf) were exposed to 75, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mg/L TiO2 P25 NPs for 48 and 96 h. A total of 40–60 embryos were placed in each Petri dish for the respective treatments. Three replicates were used for each treatment group. Ti4+ concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and a conversion factor was used to calculate the TiO2 concentrations in the tissues. The highest calculated concentrations of TiO2 in zebrafish larvae were 1.0199 mg/L after 48 h and 1.2679 mg/L after 96 h of exposure. The toxicological results indicated that these NPs did not have a significant effect on the mortality and hatching of zebrafish embryos but did have an effect on their development. LC20 and LC30 were determined experimentally, and LC50 and LC80 were estimated using four different methods. Up to 11% of embryos also presented physical malformations. These effects can be detrimental to a species and affect ecosystems. Physical malformations were observed in all treatments, indicating teratogenic effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity and Ecotoxicity Assessment of Nanomaterials by In Vitro and In Vivo Models)
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17 pages, 2907 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Characterization, and Ecotoxicology Assessment of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles by In Vivo Models
by Ileska M. Casiano-Muñiz, Melissa I. Ortiz-Román, Génesis Lorenzana-Vázquez and Félix R. Román-Velázquez
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(3), 255; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14030255 - 24 Jan 2024
Viewed by 913
Abstract
The widespread use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in multiple applications has increased the importance of safety considerations. ZnO NPs were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated for toxicity in Artemia salina and zebrafish (Danio rerio). NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction [...] Read more.
The widespread use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in multiple applications has increased the importance of safety considerations. ZnO NPs were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated for toxicity in Artemia salina and zebrafish (Danio rerio). NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The hydrodynamic size and stability of the ZnO NP surface were examined using a Zetasizer. Characterization techniques confirmed the ZnO wurtzite structure with a particle size of 32.2 ± 5.2 nm. Synthesized ZnO NPs were evaluated for acute toxicity in Artemia salina using the Probit and Reed and Muench methods to assess for lethal concentration at 50% (LC50). The LC50 was 86.95 ± 0.21 μg/mL in Artemia salina. Physical malformations were observed after 96 h at 50 μg/mL of exposure. The total protein and cytochrome P450 contents were determined. Further analysis was performed to assess the bioaccumulation capacity of zebrafish (Danio rerio) using ICP-OES. ZnO NP content in adult zebrafish was greater in the gastrointestinal tract than in the other tissues under study. The present analysis of ZnO NPs supports the use of Artemia salina and adult zebrafish as relevant models for assessing toxicity and bioaccumulation while considering absorption quantities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity and Ecotoxicity Assessment of Nanomaterials by In Vitro and In Vivo Models)
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21 pages, 4387 KiB  
Article
Transferrin-Decorated PLGA Nanoparticles Loaded with an Organoselenium Compound as an Innovative Approach to Sensitize MDR Tumor Cells: An In Vitro Study Using 2D and 3D Cell Models
by Letícia Bueno Macedo, Daniele Rubert Nogueira-Librelotto, Daniela Mathes, Taís Baldissera Pieta, Micheli Mainardi Pillat, Raquel Mello da Rosa, Oscar Endrigo Dorneles Rodrigues, Maria Pilar Vinardell and Clarice Madalena Bueno Rolim
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(16), 2306; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13162306 - 11 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1065
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the main challenge in cancer treatment. In this sense, we designed transferrin (Tf)-conjugated PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) containing an organoselenium compound as an alternative to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy and sensitize MDR tumor cells. Cytotoxicity studies were performed [...] Read more.
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the main challenge in cancer treatment. In this sense, we designed transferrin (Tf)-conjugated PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) containing an organoselenium compound as an alternative to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy and sensitize MDR tumor cells. Cytotoxicity studies were performed on different sensitive tumor cell lines and on an MDR tumor cell line, and the Tf-conjugated NPs presented significantly higher antiproliferative activity than the nontargeted counterparts in all tested cell lines. Due to the promising antitumor activity of the Tf-decorated NPs, further studies were performed using the MDR cells (NCI/ADR-RES cell line) comparatively to one sensitive cell line (HeLa). The cytotoxicity of NPs was evaluated in 3D tumor spheroids and, similarly to the results achieved in the 2D assays, the Tf-conjugated NPs were more effective at reducing the spheroid’s growth. The targeted Tf-NPs were also able to inhibit tumor cell migration, presented a higher cell internalization and induced a greater number of apoptotic events in both cell lines. Therefore, these findings evidenced the advantages of Tf-decorated NPs over the nontargeted counterparts, with the Tf-conjugated NPs containing an organoselenium compound representing a promising drug delivery system to overcome MDR and enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity and Ecotoxicity Assessment of Nanomaterials by In Vitro and In Vivo Models)
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14 pages, 7405 KiB  
Article
Impact of Gastrointestinal Digestion In Vitro Procedure on the Characterization and Cytotoxicity of Reduced Graphene Oxide
by Óscar Cebadero-Domínguez, Leticia Diez-Quijada, Sergio López, Soraya Sánchez-Ballester, María Puerto, Ana M. Cameán and Angeles Jos
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(16), 2285; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13162285 - 09 Aug 2023
Viewed by 775
Abstract
The growing interest in graphene derivatives is a result of their variety of applications in many fields. Due to their use, the oral route could be a potential way of entrance for the general population. This work assesses the biotransformation of reduced graphene [...] Read more.
The growing interest in graphene derivatives is a result of their variety of applications in many fields. Due to their use, the oral route could be a potential way of entrance for the general population. This work assesses the biotransformation of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) after an in vitro digestion procedure (mouth, gastric, intestinal, and colon digestion), and its toxic effects in different cell models (HepG2, Caco-2, and 3D intestinal model). The characterization of rGO digestas evidenced the agglomeration of samples during the in vitro gastrointestinal (g.i.) digestion. Internalization of rGO was only evident in Caco-2 cells exposed to the colonic phase and no cellular defects were observed. Digestas of rGO did not produce remarkable cytotoxicity in any of the experimental models employed at the tested concentrations (up to 200 µg/mL), neither an inflammatory response. Undigested rGO has shown cytotoxic effects in Caco-2 cells, therefore these results suggest that the digestion process could prevent the systemic toxic effects of rGO. However, additional studies are necessary to clarify the interaction of rGO with the g.i. tract and its biocompatibility profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity and Ecotoxicity Assessment of Nanomaterials by In Vitro and In Vivo Models)
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26 pages, 8534 KiB  
Article
Size Matters? A Comprehensive In Vitro Study of the Impact of Particle Size on the Toxicity of ZnO
by Montserrat Mitjans, Laura Marics, Marc Bilbao, Adriana S. Maddaleno, Juan José Piñero and M. Pilar Vinardell
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(11), 1800; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13111800 - 04 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1374
Abstract
This study describes a comparative in vitro study of the toxicity behavior of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and micro-sized particles. The study aimed to understand the impact of particle size on ZnO toxicity by characterizing the particles in different media, including cell culture [...] Read more.
This study describes a comparative in vitro study of the toxicity behavior of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and micro-sized particles. The study aimed to understand the impact of particle size on ZnO toxicity by characterizing the particles in different media, including cell culture media, human plasma, and protein solutions (bovine serum albumin and fibrinogen). The particles and their interactions with proteins were characterized in the study using a variety of methods, including atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Hemolytic activity, coagulation time, and cell viability assays were used to assess ZnO toxicity. The results highlight the complex interactions between ZnO NPs and biological systems, including their aggregation behavior, hemolytic activity, protein corona formation, coagulation effects, and cytotoxicity. Additionally, the study indicates that ZnO nanoparticles are not more toxic than micro-sized particles, and the 50 nm particle results were, in general, the least toxic. Furthermore, the study found that, at low concentrations, no acute toxicity was observed. Overall, this study provides important insights into the toxicity behavior of ZnO particles and highlights that no direct relationship between nanometer size and toxicity can be directly attributed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity and Ecotoxicity Assessment of Nanomaterials by In Vitro and In Vivo Models)
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