The rapid development
of nanomaterials (NMs) and the
emergence
of new multicomponent NMs will inevitably lead to simultaneous exposure
of organisms to multiple engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) at varying
exposure levels. Understanding the joint impacts of multiple ENPs
and predicting the toxicity of mixtures of ENPs are therefore evidently
of importance. We reviewed the toxicity of mixtures of ENPs to a variety
of different species, covering algae, bacteria, daphnia, fish, fungi,
insects, and plants. Most studies used the independent-action (IA)-based
model to assess the type of joint effects. Using co-occurrence networks,
it was revealed that 53% of the cases with specific joint response
showed antagonistic, 25% synergistic, and 22% additive effects. The
combination of nCuO and nZnO exhibited the strongest interactions
in each type of joint interaction. Compared with other species, plants
exposed to multiple ENPs were more likely to experience antagonistic
effects. The main factors influencing the joint response type of the
mixtures were (1) the chemical composition of individual components
in mixtures, (2) the stability of suspensions of mixed ENPs, (3) the
type and trophic level of the individual organisms tested, (4) the
biological level of organization (population, communities, ecosystems),
(5) the exposure concentrations and time, (6) the endpoint of toxicity,
and (7) the abiotic field conditions (e.g., pH, ionic strength, natural
organic matter). This knowledge is critical in developing efficient
strategies for the assessment of the hazards induced by combined exposure
to multiple ENPs in complex environments. In addition, this knowledge
of the joint effects of multiple ENPs assists in the effective prediction
of hybrid NMs.
This is the first study to explore synergistic effects of mixtures of carbon-based NMs associated with metal NPs. Exposure to GNPs and/or RGO induced enhanced cytotoxicity of nZrO 2 to algae. Cellular oxidative stress and membrane functional changes led to toxicity increase. Mitochondria-generated ROS regulated treatment-induced cellular response. RGO induced more cytotoxic responses from algal cells than GNPs.
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