Assessing the potential risks to zebrafish posed by environmentally relevant copper and silver nanoparticles.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecotoxicology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Engineered nanomaterials (NMs) manufacturing can contaminate aquatic ecosystems.
• Developing biological monitoring for emerging NMs is crucial.
• Assessing nanoecotoxicity risks of waterborne copper and silver nanoparticles (Cu/Ag NPs) is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a risk-based probability model for predicting nanoecotoxicity hazards of Cu/Ag NPs to aquatic organisms.
• To evaluate the potential risks of environmentally relevant Cu/Ag NPs in Taiwanese rivers.

Main Methods:

• Utilized published experimental data on Cu/Ag NP-zebrafish (Danio rerio) systems.
• Employed a Hill model to reconstruct concentration-mortality response profiles.
• Used a cumulative Weibull predictive model to estimate exposure thresholds.

Main Results:

• Predicted environmental concentrations for Cu NPs and Ag NPs in Taiwanese rivers were 0.06 and 0.04 mgL(-1), respectively.
• Estimated exposure thresholds were 0.10-0.48 mgL(-1) for Cu NPs and 2.69-2.73 mgL(-1) for Ag NPs.
• Probabilities of risk quotient >1 ranged from 17%-81% for Cu NPs, indicating significant risk, while Ag NPs posed no significant risk (RQ < 0.1).

Conclusions:

• The developed probabilistic model effectively predicts the potential risk of Cu/Ag NPs in aquatic ecosystems.
• Cu NPs present a significant nanoecotoxicity risk to zebrafish in Taiwanese rivers, necessitating monitoring and management.
• Ag NPs, under the studied conditions, do not pose a significant risk to zebrafish.