Sub-lethal Effects of Manufactured Nanoparticles on Fish: Bioenergetics, Brain, and Behaviour

人工纳米材料是具有许多潜在有益应用的新材料(例如，新的纺织品、电子产品、建材、医疗器械等)。然而，像任何物质一样，必须对它们的安全性和对环境的影响进行评估。我们最近的实验室工作表明，一些纳米材料对鱼类是有毒的，其中一个特别令人担忧的领域是神经毒性，对大脑和行为的影响。该项目旨在通过将彩虹鲑鱼暴露于两种不同的材料--碳纳米管和二氧化钛纳米颗粒--来详细研究这些效应。我们将测量动物行为的细微变化，并将其与脑组织的变化(使用生理学、组织学和分子技术测量)相关联。该项目还包括一个风险评估研讨会，我们将在那里讨论结果，并就这些新材料中有多少可以释放到环境中以及对野生动物和人类健康的危害做出一些决定。

Manufactured nanomaterials are new materials that have many potential beneficial applications (e.g., new textiles, electronics, building materials, medical devices etc.). However, like any substance, they must be assessed for their safety and effects on the environment. Our recent laboratory work has shown that some nanomaterials are toxic to fish, and one particular area of concern is neurotoxicity, effects on the brain, and on behaviour. This project aims to investigate these effects in detail by exposing rainbow trout to two different materials; carbon nanotubes and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. We will measure subtle changes in animal behaviour and correlate this with changes in the brain tissue (measured using physiological, histological and molecular techniques). The project also includes a risk assessment workshop, where we will discuss the results, and enable some decisions on how much of these new materials can be released into the environment and what the hazards are to wildlife, and human health.