Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an ecotoxicological model for Nanomaterial induced toxicity profiling

Abstract

With the advancement of technologies, the evolution of nanoscience is occurring at a rapid pace. The demand for nanomaterials in various industries has increased. However, they may pose an increased risk upon exposure to living organisms, demanding toxicological studies. Alt-hough risk assessment of nanomaterials is a challenge due to their varieties in sizes and variabil-ity in properties, different methodologies of toxicity screenings have been used successfully to evaluate the potential risks. Although nanotechnology has contributed to technology develop-ment and well-being, information in these fields is still incomplete. Fortunately, those areas are under continuous research, and there are increasing experimental efforts in determining the envi-ronmental effects on humans exposed to nanoparticles. Since the field of nanotechnology is continuously expanding, we need medium- to high throughput nanotoxicity screenings to deter-mine any potential risks caused by nanomaterials. Zebrafish, a well-established model for mammalian research, have advantages when used in these toxicity screenings. This review de-scribes various kinds of toxicities induced in zebrafish embryos by different kinds of nanopar-ticles. A significant number of experimental data from toxicological studies are also presented that determine nanomaterials' effects, which can be modulated or further mitigated to create a positive impact on living organisms.