Environment international
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Environment international · Aug 2011
ReviewPhysiological effects of nanoparticles on fish: a comparison of nanometals versus metal ions.
The use of nanoscale materials is growing exponentially, but there are also concerns about the environmental hazard to aquatic biota. Metal-containing engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are an important group of these new materials, and are often made of one metal (e.g., Cu-NPs and Ag-NPs), metal oxides (e.g., ZnO and TiO(2) NPs), or composite of several metals. The physiological effects and toxicity of trace metals in the traditional dissolved form are relatively well known and the overall aim of this review was to use our existing conceptual framework of metal toxicity in fish to compare and contrast the effects of nanometals. ⋯ Effects on early life stages of fish are also emerging, with reports of nanometals crossing the chorion (e.g., Ag-NPs), and suggestions that the nano-forms of some metals (Cu-NPs and ZnO NPs) may be more toxic to embryos or juveniles, than the equivalent metal salt. It remains possible that nanometals could interfere with, and/or stimulate stress responses in fish; but data has yet to be collected on this aspect. We conclude that nanometals do have adverse physiological effects on fish, and the hazard for some metal NPs will be different to the traditional dissolved forms of metals.