Quantitative titanium imaging in fish tissues exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Abstract

Imaging studies by laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry have been successfully developed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information on the presence/distribution of titanium (ionic titanium and/or titanium dioxide nanoparticles) in sea bream tissues (kidney, liver, and muscle) after exposure assays with 45-nm citrate-coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Laboratory-produced gelatine standards containing ionic titanium were used as a calibration strategy for obtaining laser ablation–based images using quantitative (titanium concentrations) data. The best calibration strategy consisted of using gelatine-based titanium standards (from 0.1 to 2.0 μg g−1) by placing 5.0-μL drops of the liquid gelatine standards onto microscope glass sample holders. After air drying at room temperature good homogeneity of the placed drops was obtained, which led to good repeatability of measurements (calibration slope of 4.21 × 104 ± 0.39 × 104, n = 3) and good linearity (coefficient of determination higher than 0.990). Under the optimised conditions, a limit of detection of 0.087 μg g−1 titanium was assessed. This strategy allowed to locate prominent areas of titanium in the tissues as well as to quantify the bioaccumulated titanium and a better understanding of titanium dioxide nanoparticle spatial distribution in sea bream tissues. Graphical abstract

Silica Nanoparticle Size Determines the Mechanisms Underlying the Inhibition of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Uptake by Daphnia magna

“…6−8 However, despite the presence of many different types of NPs in the aquatic environment, most of the recent toxicity studies, especially those focused on bioaccumulation, have examined only a single type of NP. 9,10 Therefore, it remains unclear whether the bioaccumulation and toxicity results from those studies reflect the actual situation in the aquatic environment, where many types of NPs differing in their physicochemical properties are simultaneously found.…”

“…The annual production of NPs in 2015 was 200 million tons, and it is predicted to reach 500 million tons in 2025 . During their manufacture, transport, use, and deposition, NPs are deliberately or accidentally released into the environment, eventually accumulating in aquatic ecosystems. , Their potential risks to those ecosystems have raised considerable concern and have led to toxicity studies involving organisms of different trophic levels. − However, despite the presence of many different types of NPs in the aquatic environment, most of the recent toxicity studies, especially those focused on bioaccumulation, have examined only a single type of NP. , Therefore, it remains unclear whether the bioaccumulation and toxicity results from those studies reflect the actual situation in the aquatic environment, where many types of NPs differing in their physicochemical properties are simultaneously found.…”