Exposure to few-layer graphene through diet induces oxidative stress and histological changes in the marine shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

The production and use of graphene-based nanomaterials is rapidly increasing. However, few data are available regarding the toxicity of these nanomaterials in aquatic organisms. In the present study, the toxicity of few-layer graphene (FLG) (obtained by chemical exfoliation) was evaluated in different tissues of the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei following exposure to FLG through a diet for four weeks. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements showed a distribution of lateral sheet sizes between 100 and 2000 nm with the average length and width of 800 and 400 nm, respectively. Oxidative stress parameters were analyzed, indicating that FLG exposure led to an increase in the concentration of reactive oxygen species, modulated the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as glutamate cysteine ligase and glutathione-S-transferase, and reduced glutathione levels and total antioxidant capacity. However, the observed modulations were not sufficient to avoid lipid and DNA damage in both gill and hepatopancreas tissues. Furthermore, graphene exposure resulted in morphological changes in hepatopancreas tissues. These results demonstrate that exposure to FLG through the diet induces alterations in the redox state of cells, leading to a subsequent oxidative stress situation. It is therefore clear that nanomaterials presenting these physico-chemical characteristics may be harmful to aquatic biota.