Evaluation of carbon nanotubes network toxicity in zebrafish (danio rerio) model

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 134; pp. 9 - 16
• Main Authors: Filho, Jose de Souza, Matsubara, Elaine Y., Franchi, Leonardo Pereira, Martins, Igor Pinheiro, Rivera, Luis Miguel Ramires, Rosolen, José Mauricio, Grisolia, Cesar Koppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.10.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biocompatibility; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical materials; Carbon nanotubes; Carbon nanotubes network; Comet Assay; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Cytotoxicity; Danio rerio; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotoxicity; In vivo testing; In vivo tests; Materials science; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Models, Animal; Mutagens - toxicity; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotubes, Carbon - toxicity; Networks; Physics; Spectrum Analysis, Raman; Surgical implants; Zebrafish; Zebrafish; Cytotoxicity; Carbon nanotubes network; Genotoxicity; Evaluation; Toxicity; Carbon nanotubes; Vertebrata; Brachydanio rerio; Pisces; DNA; Models; Nanostructured materials
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.06.017

This is a detailed in vivo study of the biological response to carbon nanotubes network as probed by the zebrafish model. First, we prepared pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by methanol chemical vapor deposition in the presence of Mn and Co as catalysts, followed by purification in acid, which furnished curved tubes with diameters lying between 10 and 130nm. The CNT network consisted of pristine CNTs dispersed in water in the presence of a surfactant. The CNT network pellets corresponded to agglomerated multi-walled CNTs with an average diameter of about 500nm. Although the same pristine CNTs had been previously found to exert genotoxic effects in vitro, here we verified that the CNT network was not genotoxic in vivo. Indeed, Raman spectroscopy and microscopy conducted in the intestine of the zebrafish revealed complete clearance of the CNT network as well as minimal disturbances, such as aneurysms, hyperemia, and reversible inflammatory focus in the zebrafish gills. •CNT network did not present cytogenotoxicity in zebrafish aquatic model.•CNT network induced minimal disturbances in the zebrafish gills.•The ingestion of CNT network by zebrafish was detected by Raman spectroscopy.•CNT network was gradually eliminated from the zebrafish gastrointestinal tract.