TY - JOUR

T1 - Insignificant acute toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles to willow trees

A1 - Seeger,Eva Mareike

A1 - Baun,Anders

A1 - Kästner,M.

A1 - Trapp,Stefan

AU - Seeger,Eva Mareike

AU - Baun,Anders

AU - Kästner,M.

AU - Trapp,Stefan

PB - Springer

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Manufactured nanoparticles (MNP) are expected to increase in production in near future. In response, their environmental fate and effects are intensively studied. Phytotoxicity of some types of nanoparticles has been observed for annual species in the seed germination and root elongation test. Yet, no results of toxicity tests with trees have been reported. Woody species, dominant in many ecosystems, may be vulnerable in particular due to the large porous wood compartment. This study tests the toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles on trees with the short-term willow tree transpiration test. TiO2 particles with 25- and 100-nm diameter were suspended in distilled water at concentrations of 0, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L (first test) and 0, 10, 20, and 50 mg/L (second test). Effects on transpiration, growth, and water use efficiency of exposed willow cuttings were monitored. The concentration of nanoparticles was measured by spectrophotometry. None of the measured effect parameters (growth, transpiration, and water use efficiency) showed any significant change during the test. Particles were rapidly lost from solution, probably due to sedimentation as a result of aggregation and also due to adsorption to roots. The loss of nanoparticles from solution was faster for particles with larger diameter and in the presence of trees. Willow trees were not sensitive to short-term exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles. Similar results were obtained for other plant species. Effects of nanoparticles were observed for zinc and zinc oxide particles, but these effects were probably due to heavy metal toxicity and not nanosize specific. In summary, we came to the conclusion that woody species are not in particular vulnerable to nanosized TiO2 particles in the conditions, concentrations, and time periods used in this study. The preliminary results of this study should be confirmed with other types of MNP, other plant species, experiments in soil and experiments combining longer duration, and low exposure concentrations before a final conclusion in this issue can be made.

AB - Manufactured nanoparticles (MNP) are expected to increase in production in near future. In response, their environmental fate and effects are intensively studied. Phytotoxicity of some types of nanoparticles has been observed for annual species in the seed germination and root elongation test. Yet, no results of toxicity tests with trees have been reported. Woody species, dominant in many ecosystems, may be vulnerable in particular due to the large porous wood compartment. This study tests the toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles on trees with the short-term willow tree transpiration test. TiO2 particles with 25- and 100-nm diameter were suspended in distilled water at concentrations of 0, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L (first test) and 0, 10, 20, and 50 mg/L (second test). Effects on transpiration, growth, and water use efficiency of exposed willow cuttings were monitored. The concentration of nanoparticles was measured by spectrophotometry. None of the measured effect parameters (growth, transpiration, and water use efficiency) showed any significant change during the test. Particles were rapidly lost from solution, probably due to sedimentation as a result of aggregation and also due to adsorption to roots. The loss of nanoparticles from solution was faster for particles with larger diameter and in the presence of trees. Willow trees were not sensitive to short-term exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles. Similar results were obtained for other plant species. Effects of nanoparticles were observed for zinc and zinc oxide particles, but these effects were probably due to heavy metal toxicity and not nanosize specific. In summary, we came to the conclusion that woody species are not in particular vulnerable to nanosized TiO2 particles in the conditions, concentrations, and time periods used in this study. The preliminary results of this study should be confirmed with other types of MNP, other plant species, experiments in soil and experiments combining longer duration, and low exposure concentrations before a final conclusion in this issue can be made.

KW - Titanium dioxide

KW - Toxicity tests with trees

KW - TiO2 nanoparticles

KW - Willows

KW - Phytotoxicity

KW - Toxicity

KW - Salix

KW - Nanotoxicology

KW - Acute toxicity

KW - Nanoparticles

U2 - 10.1007/s11368-008-0034-0

DO - 10.1007/s11368-008-0034-0

JO - Journal of Soils and Sediments

JF - Journal of Soils and Sediments

SN - 1439-0108

IS - 1

VL - 9

SP - 46

EP - 53

ER -