Developmental effects of two different copper oxide nanomaterials in sea urchin ( Lytechinus pictus ) embryos

• Main Authors: Torres-Duarte, Cristina, Adeyemi S. Adeleye, Pokhrel, Suman, Mädler, Lutz, Keller, Arturo A., Cherr, Gary N.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Figshare 2016
• Subjects: Space Science; 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; FOS Earth and related environmental sciences; 39999 Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified; FOS Chemical sciences; Ecology; FOS Biological sciences; 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; Developmental Biology; Inorganic Chemistry; White Sea
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3248935.v1; https://figshare.com/collections/Developmental_effects_of_two_different_copper_oxide_nanomaterials_in_sea_urchin_i_Lytechinus_pictus_i_embryos/3248935/1

Copper oxide nanomaterials (nano-CuOs) are widely used and can be inadvertently introduced into estuarine and marine environments. We analyzed the effects of different nano-CuOs (a synthesized and a less-pure commercial form), as well as ionic copper (CuSO 4 ) on embryo development in the white sea urchin, a well-known marine model. After 96 h of development with both nano-CuO exposures, we did not detect significant oxidative damage to proteins but did detect decreases in total antioxidant capacity. We show that the physicochemical characteristics of the two nano-CuOs play an essential role in their toxicities. Both nano-CuOs were internalized by embryos and their differential dissolution was the most important toxicological parameter. The synthesized nano-CuO showed greater toxicity (EC 50 = 450 ppb of copper) and had increased dissolution (2.5% by weight over 96 h) as compared with the less-pure commercial nano-CuO (EC 50 = 5395 ppb of copper, 0.73% dissolution by weight over 96 h). Copper caused specific developmental abnormalities in sea urchin embryos including disruption of the aboral-oral axis as a result in changes to the redox environment caused by dissolution of internalized nano-CuO. Abnormal skeleton formation also occurred.