Quantifying the effect of nanoparticles on As(V) ecotoxicity exemplified by nano-Fe2O3(magnetic) and nano-Al2O3

Nano-Fe2O3 (magnetic) and nano-Al2O3 are increasingly used in biomedical fields for cellular labeling and drug delivery, and in the industry as catalysts. However, they may also serve as carriers of toxic contaminants and negatively impact the environment and human health. In the present study, Ceriodaphnia dubia was used to assess the toxicity of these nanoparticles (NPs) with and without the presence of background arsenic(V) (As[V]). The results showed that although these NPs alone did not exhibit significant toxicity in the experimental concentration range, they could significantly enhance the toxicity of As(V). The accumulation of As(V) on nano-Fe2O3 (m) and nano-Al2O3, as well as the uptake of these NPs in C. dubia, were verified. An inverse relationship between the median lethal concentration (LC50) of the soluble As(V) and the accumulation of NPs in C. dubia was developed. Therefore, the uptake of As(V)-loaded NPs in C. dubia played a key role in enhancing As(V) toxicity. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2870–2876. © 2012 SETAC