Metallic nanoparticle production and exposure/deposition system for toxicological research applications using zebrafish

Abstract

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have been accepted for various applications ranging from cosmetics to medicine. However, no method has been established in the scientific community that is capable of analyzing various metals, sizes, and levels of exposures without the concern of background chemical contaminations. We present here a system utilizing soft-landing ion mobility (SLIM) exposures of laser ablated metallic clusters capable of operating pressures of reduced vacuum (1 Torr) up to ambient (760 Torr) in the presence of a buffer gas. Clusters experience kinetic energies of less than 1 eV upon exiting the SLIM, allowing for the exposure of NPs to take place in a passive manner. While there is no mass-selection of cluster sizes in this work, it does show for the first time the creation and soft-landing of nanoclusters at ambient pressures. Factors such as area coverage and percentage distribution were studied, as well as the different effects that varying surfaces may cause in the agglomeration of the clusters. Furthermore, the system was successfully used to study the effects of silver nanoparticle exposure and determine the specific organs the NPs accumulate in using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism. This method provides a novel way to synthesize NPs and expose biological organisms for various toxicological analysis.

Inhalation exposure to silver nanoparticles induces hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress, associated with altered renin‐angiotensin system signaling, in Wistar rats

“…The 6‐week‐old rats were then divided into two groups: Control and experimental (six rats in each group). The silver nanoparticles were generated as described in previous reports 35–38 . Using a laser ablation technique in the soft‐landing ion mobility (SLIM) instrument, under ambient atmospheric conditions, the rats were exposed to a cumulative concentration of 200 ppb AgNP ranging in diameter size from 1 to 100 nm, over a period 5 d, 4 h/days in a whole‐body‐type exposure.…”

“…A previously published study using the SLIM instrument generated AgNP from our lab had characterized the AgNP concentration accumulating in the zebrafish liver tissue after a subacute exposure 38 using ICP‐MS. This study demonstrated that the AgNPs generated by the SLIM instrument vary in size from 1 to 100 nm and can be used for toxicity studies involving other animal models.…”