Probing the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials

Probing the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials in aquatic environments

Researcher: Michael Mitzel, Nathalie Tufenkji

Key highlights:

• Release of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) into aquatic environments is a risk to water safety and environmental health.
• Little is known about a microorganism’s immediate avoidance behavior when exposed to nanoparticulate contaminants.
• Swimming avoidance of the freshwater algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was observed after the exposure to a gradient of silver nanoparticles (nAg) in a microfluidics device.
• The observed rapid avoidance swimming response indicates that organisms may be able to sense and avoid certain contaminants at exposure.