Toxicity of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene Oxide, and Reduced Graphene Oxide to Zebrafish Embryos

• Published in: Biomedical and environmental sciences Vol. 27; no. 9; pp. 676 - 683
• Main Authors: LIU, Xiao Tong, MU, Xi Yan, WU, Xiao Li, MENG, Li Xuan, GUAN, Wen Bi, MA, Yong Qiang, SUN, Hua, WANG, Cheng Ju, LI, Xue Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.09.2014; College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China%College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
• Subjects: Animals; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Embryonic Development - drug effects; Female; Graphene Oxide; Graphite - toxicity; Heart Rate - drug effects; Male; Movement - drug effects; Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes; Nanotubes, Carbon - toxicity; Oxides - toxicity; Reduced Graphene Oxide; Toxicity; Toxicity Tests; Zebrafish; Zebrafish Embryos; 多壁碳纳米管; 孵化率; 斑马鱼; 死亡率; 毒性作用; 氧化石墨; 纳米材料; 胚胎孵化; Zebrafish Embryos; Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes; Toxicity; Graphene Oxide; Reduced Graphene Oxide
• ISSN: 0895-3988; 2214-0190
• DOI: 10.3967/bes2014.103

Objective This study was aimed to investigate the toxic effects of 3 nanomaterials, i.e. multi-walled carbon nanotubes （MWCNTs）, graphene oxide （GO）, and reduced graphene oxide （RGO）, on zebrafish embryos. Methods The 2-h post-fertilization （hpf） zebrafish embryos were exposed to MWCNTs, GO, and RGO at different concentrations （1, 5, 10, 50, 100 mg/L） for 96 h. Afterwards, the effects of the 3 nanomateria on spontaneous movement, heart rate, hatching rate, length of larvae, mortality, and malformations Is were evaluated. Results Statistical analysis indicated that RGO significantly inhibited the hatching of zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, RGO and MWCNTs decreased the length of the hatched larvae at 96 hpf. No obvious morphological malformation or mortality was observed in the zebrafish embryos after exposure to the three nanomaterials. Conclusion MWCNTs, GO, and RGO were all toxic to zebrafish embryos to influence embryos hatching and larvae length. Although no obvious morphological malformation and mortality were observed in exposed zebrafish embryos, further studies on the toxicity of the three nanomaterials are still needed.