Polyaniline nanofibers: Acute toxicity and teratogenic effect on Rhinella arenarum embryos

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 87; no. 11; pp. 1374 - 1380
• Main Authors: Yslas, Edith I., Ibarra, Luis E., Peralta, Damián O., Barbero, César A., Rivarola, Viviana A., Bertuzzi, Mabel L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: AMPHITOX; Aniline Compounds - chemistry; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Bufonidae - growth & development; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Larva - drug effects; Larva - metabolism; Male; Nanofibers; Nanofibers - chemistry; Nanofibers - toxicity; Nanomaterials; Toxicity test; Toxicity Tests; PBS; RS; FTRI; Ecotoxicology; TC99; PANI; Nanomaterials; DLS; PVP; Toxicity test; TC50; NMP; AMPHITOX; NOEC; Nanofibers; TEM; Embryo; Toxicity; Acute; Nanofiber; Teratogen
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.02.033

► Knowledge the effect of nanoobjects and its importance for technological application. ► Embryos and larvae were use to study the toxicity and teratogenicity of nanomaterials. ► Nanofibers did not show mortality in larval stage of Rhinella arenarum. ► However, PANI nanofibers had adverse effects on embryos. ► This nanomaterial exposure increased malformations with increasing concentration. The fate and effect of nanomaterials in the environment is of paramount importance towards the technological application of the materials. This work shows the ecotoxicological potential of polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers in the larvae Rhinella arenarum by means of AMPHITOX test. Acute toxicity of PANI nanofibers towards embryos of the common South American toad R. arenarum (Anura: bufonidae) was evaluated in the premetamorphosis (stage 25) larvae. The exposure of R. arenarum larvae to at dose of 150, 250 and 400mgL−1 resulted in 100% viability within 96h exposure. The embryos at 2–4 blastomers stage (early life stage teratogenic test) revealed that embryos were not killed and no teratogenic effects were observed when embryos were incubated with PANI nanofibers (150 and 250mgL−1), while only a growth retardation of embryos was induced at levels of 250mg PANI nanofibersL−1. On the other hand, at 400mgL−1 concentration, a reduction in the body length of larvae and tail malformation was observed. This results suggest that a concentration-dependent toxicity is operative, typified by phenotypes that had abnormal body axes. The presence of PANI nanofibers in gut contents and its excretion by larval stages of R. arenarum was confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy.