Synthesis methods influence characteristics, behaviour and toxicity of bare CuO NPs compared to bulk CuO and ionic Cu after in vitro exposure of Ruditapes philippinarum hemocytes.
Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly investigated, developed and produced for a wide range of industrial and consumer products. Notwithstanding their promising novel applications, concern has been raised that their increased use and disposal could consequently increase their release into marine systems and potentially affect species within. To date the understanding of factors and mechanisms of CuO (nano-) toxicity to marine invertebrates is still limited. Hence, we studied the characteristics and behaviour of two commercially available CuO NPs of similar size, but produced employing distinct synthesis methods, under various environmentally and experimentally relevant conditions. In addition, cell viability and DNA damage, as well as gene expression of detoxification, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, DNA damage repair and cell death mediator markers were studied in primary cultures of hemocytes from the marine clam Ruditapes philippinarum and, where applicable, compared to bulk CuO and ionic Cu (as CuSO4) behaviour and effects. We found that the synthesis method can influence particle characteristics and behaviour, as well as the toxicity of CuO NPs to Ruditapes philippinarum hemocytes. Our results further indicate that under the tested conditions aggregating behaviour influences the toxicity of CuO NPs by influencing their rate of extra- and intracellular dissolution. In addition, gene expression analysis identified similar transcriptional de-regulation for all tested copper treatments for the here measured suite of genes. Finally, our work highlights various differences in the aggregation and dissolution kinetics of CuO particles under environmental (marine) and cell culture exposure conditions that need consideration when extrapolating in vitro findings.
['Volland|Moritz|M|', 'Hampel|Miriam|M|', 'Katsumiti|Alberto|A|', 'Yeste|María Pilar|MP|', 'Gatica|José Manuel|JM|', 'Cajaraville|Miren|M|', 'Blasco|Julián|J|']
D000818:Animals D049872:Bivalvia D002470:Cell Survival D020552:Comet Assay D003300:Copper D005786:Gene Expression Regulation D006434:Hemocytes D007477:Ions D007700:Kinetics D053768:Metal Nanoparticles D009153:Mutagens D010316:Particle Size D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Synthesis method Toxicity Hemocytes Clams CuO nanoparticles Ionic copper