Titanium dioxide nanoparticles increase sensitivity in the next generation of the water flea Daphnia magna.

ABSTRACT: The nanoparticle industry is expected to become a trillion dollar business in the near future. Therefore, the unintentional introduction of nanoparticles into the environment is increasingly likely. However, currently applied risk-assessment practices require further adaptation to accommodate the intrinsic nature of engineered nanoparticles. Combining a chronic flow-through exposure system with subsequent acute toxicity tests for the standard test organism Daphnia magna, we found that juvenile offspring of adults that were previously exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles exhibit a significantly increased sensitivity to titanium dioxide nanoparticles compared with the offspring of unexposed adults, as displayed by lower 96 h-EC(50) values. This observation is particularly remarkable bec

SUBMITTER: Bundschuh M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3492132 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature