INVESTIGADORES
PRIETO Maria Jimena
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
differential carbon nanotubes toxicity on zebrafish dependending on its length
Autor/es:
MARTINEZ CS; ALONSO SDV; PRIETO MJ
Reunión:
Congreso; Latin American Crosstalk in Biophysics and Physiology; 2015
Institución organizadora:
Sociedad Argentina de Biofisica
Resumen:
Nanomaterials (NM) are novel nanotechnology products of increasing commercial applications due to their unique characteristics. Nevertheless, properties of NM could be very different of those exhibited by the same material in macroscale, causing an undesired toxicity [1]. In addition, the accumulation of NM can cause not only acute toxicity but also long term affection [2]. Hence, an exhaustive research needs to be done regarding the environmental and health impacts of nanomaterials.Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are structures of rolled graphene sheets with distinctive mechanical force, electrical conductivity, heat conductivity and chemical stability. There are two types of CNT, single-walled (SWCNT) and multi-walled (MWCNT), both have a diameter in the nanoscale and a length that can vary from micrometers to centimeters. Due to its capability to conjugate with a wide variety of molecules, CNT are used as additives in a great amount of materials [3]. However, a negative point of these prominent nanomaterials is that they tend to accumulate in liver, lungs, spleen, kidney, muscle, skin and bones. At the beginning most of the studies were focused on respiratory system, and just over the last years general toxicity studies have been performed [4]. Still, a more comprehensive understanding of each organ affection is needed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish a broader toxicological profile of CNT to understand how each organ is affected, and through which mechanism it is achieved.For this purpose, we have tested two MWCNT of different length and thickness on zebrafish, since it is an innovative model organism that reduces time and cost throughout development process. We evaluated general toxicity (lethality/teratogenicity in embryos and morphological changes in larvae) and tissue-specific toxicity of brain, heart and liver. Results were different for both MWCNT, indicating that the length and thickness of the same nanomaterial alter the toxicity that it may potentially cause.