Nanotoxicology in Aquatic Ecosystems
Summary
Engineered nanomaterials, defined by at least one dimension below 100 nm, are increasingly incorporated into consumer goods, medical therapies and environmental sensors. Their unique surface reactivity and potential for ion release confer novel properties but also raise concerns about unintended impacts on freshwater and marine biota. Once released via effluent, runoff or atmospheric deposition, nanoparticles undergo physical and chemical transformations—aggregation, dissolution, surface coating by natural organic matter—that alter their mobility, bioavailability and toxicity. At the cellular level, key mechanisms include oxidative stress, membrane disruption and the release of toxic metal ions. These processes can inhibit algal photosynthesis, impair crustacean development and alter fish behaviour, with consequences that cascade through food webs via bioaccumulation and trophic transfer. Environmental parameters such as pH, salinity and suspended solids modulate particle fate, complicating exposure assessment across diverse habitats. Emerging methods—ranging from simplified microcosms to high-throughput molecular assays—enable more realistic appraisal of ecological risks. Given the global scale of nanoparticle production and the dependence of millions on aquatic resources for food and livelihood, robust monitoring, safe-by-design strategies and harmonised regulatory frameworks are essential to balance innovation with ecosystem protection.
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Nanotoxicology in Aquatic Ecosystems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanotoxicology in aquatic ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Nanomaterial: Material with at least one dimension in the 1–100 nm range exhibiting size-dependent properties.
Bioaccumulation: Uptake and retention of substances in an organism over time from environmental and dietary sources.
Oxidative stress: Cellular imbalance caused by excess reactive oxygen species overwhelming antioxidant defences.
Microcosm experiment: Controlled, simplified ecological system used to mimic natural community interactions in the laboratory.
Trophic transfer: Movement of substances through successive levels of a food web, potentially leading to biomagnification.
References
- Ecotoxicological assessment of a graphene-based commercial ink toward freshwater ecosystems: From single-species tests to a microcosm approach. Carbon (2025).
- Nanoparticles in the environment: where do we come from, where do we go to?. Environmental Sciences Europe (2018).
- Zebrafish: A complete animal model to enumerate the nanoparticle toxicity. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2016).
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