Oxidative stress and genotoxicity in Rhinella arenarum (Anura: Bufonidae) tadpoles after acute exposure to Ni-Al nanoceramics

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and pharmacology 2020-11, Vol.80, p.103508, Article 103508
• Main Authors: Svartz, Gabriela, Aronzon, Carolina, Pérez Catán, Soledad, Soloneski, Sonia, Pérez Coll, Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Aluminum Oxide - toxicity; Amphibians; Animals; Antioxidants; Biomarkers; Bufo arenarum; Catalase; Catalysis; Catalysts; Ceramics - toxicity; Damage; Exposure; Genotoxicity; Glutathione; Glutathione transferase; Juveniles; Larva - drug effects; Larvae; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Micronuclei; Micronucleus Tests; Mutagens - toxicity; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - toxicity; Nanotechnology; Nickel; Nickel - toxicity; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Peroxidation; Rhinella arenarum; Superoxide dismutase; Toxicity
• ISSN: 1382-6689; 1872-7077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103508

[Display omitted] •Ni/ -alumina nanomaterials (NMs) toxicity was assessed by subcellular biomarkers on amphibian larvae.•All these NMs disrupted the antioxidant defense system of R. arenarum larvae.•NiO/ -Al2O3 induced lipid peroxidation and genotoxicity in R. arenarum larvae.•Results indicate the vulnerability of R. arenarum larvae to these NMs. The employ of nanomaterials (NMs) has exponentially grown due to the large number of technological advances in industrial, pharmaceutical and medical areas. That is the case of alumina (Al) nanoparticles which are extensively employed as support in heterogeneous catalysis processes. However, these NMs can cause great toxicity because of their ubiquitous properties, such as extremely small size and high specific surface area. So, it is required to assess the potential deleterious effects of these NMs on living organisms. In the present study, we analyze the oxidative stress and genotoxic potential of a nanoceramic catalyst Ni/ -Al2O3 (NC) and the NMs involved in their synthesis, -Al2O3 support (SPC) and NiO/ -Al2O3 precursor (PC) on Rhinella arenarum larvae. Biomarkers of oxidative stress and genotoxic damage were measured in tadpoles exposed to 5 and 25 mg/L of each NMs for 96 h. The results indicated an inhibition of catalase activity in tadpoles exposed to both concentrations of PC and to 25 mg/L of SPC and NC. Moreover, both exposure concentrations of PC and NC significantly inhibited superoxide dismutase activity. Exposure to the three NMs caused inhibition of glutathione S-transferase activity, but there were no significant variations in reduced glutathione levels. Oxidative stress damage (lipid peroxidation) was observed in tadpoles treated with 25 mg/L PC, while the other treatments did not produce alterations. The MNs frequency significantly increased in larvae exposed to 25 mg/L PC indicating irreversible genotoxic damage. The results show that these NMs exert genotoxic effects and antioxidant defense system disruption in R. arenarum larvae.