Biomarker analysis of liver cells exposed to surfactant-wrapped and oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)

Effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in soil on earthworm growth and reproduction, enzymatic activities, and metabolomics

Increased production and environmental release of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) increase soil exposure and potential risk to earthworms. However, MWCNT toxicity to earthworms remains unclear, with some studies identifying negative effects and others negligible effects. In this study, to determine whether exposure to MWCNTs negatively affects earthworms and to elucidate possible mechanisms of toxicity, earthworms were exposed to sublethal soil concentrations of MWCNTs (10, 50, and 100 mg/kg) for 28 days. Earthworm growth and reproduction, activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms (1A2, 2C9, and 3A4) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST)), and metabolomics were determined. Effects of MWCNTs on earthworms depended on exposure concentration. Exposure to MWCNTs did not significantly affect growth and reproduction of individual earthworms. Exposure to 50 mg/kg MWCNTs significantly increased activities of CYP2C9, CYP3A4, SOD, CAT, and GST but clearly reduced levels of L-aspartate, L-asparagine, and glutamine. With exposure to 100 mg/kg MWCNTs, toxic effects on earthworms were observed, with significant inhibition in activities of CYP isoenzymes and SOD, significant reductions in L-aspartate, L-asparagine, glutamine, and tryptophan, and simultaneous accumulations of citrate, isocitrate, fumarate, 2-oxoglutarate, pyruvate, D-galactose, carbamoyl phosphate, formyl anthranilate, hypoxanthine, and xanthine. Results suggest that toxicity of MWCNTs to earthworms is associated with reduced detoxification capacity, excessive oxidative stress, and disturbance of multiple metabolic pathways, including amino acids metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, pyruvate metabolism, D-galactose metabolism, and purine metabolism. The study provides new insights to better understand and predict the toxicity of MWCNTs in soil.

Intravenous administration of three multiwalled carbon nanotubes to female rats and their effect on urinary biochemical profile

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of outer diameter (OD) and length (L) of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on biodistribution and the perturbation of endogenous metabolite profiles. Three different-sized carboxylated MWCNTs (NIEHS-12-2: L 0.5-2 μm, OD 10-20 nm, NIEHS-13-2: L 0.5-2 μm, OD 30-50 nm, and NIEHS-14-2: L 10-30 μm, OD 10-20 nm) in water were administered to female Sprague-Dawley rats as a single intravenous dose of 1 mg/kg MWCNTs. Biodistribution in liver, lung, spleen, and lymph nodes was evaluated in tissue sections at 1 and 7 days' post-dosing using enhanced darkfield microscopy and hyperspectral imaging. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis was used for biochemical profiling and pathway mapping of endogenous metabolites in urine collected at 24-h intervals prior to dosing, at Day 1 and Day 7. At Day 1 and Day 7, all three MWCNTs were observed in liver. NIEHS-12-2 was observed in spleen, whereas NIEHS-13-2 and NIEHS-14-2 were not. All three MWCNTs were observed in lymph nodes and lung at Day 7. The urinary biochemical profile showed the highest positive fold change (FC) at Day 7 for the metabolites acetate, alanine, and lactate, whereas 1-methylnicotinamide, 2-oxoglutarate, and hippurate had some of the lowest FCs for all three MWCNTs. This study demonstrates that the observed tissue location of MWCNTs is size dependent. Overlaps in the perturbation of endogenous metabolite profiles were found regardless of their size, and the biochemical responses were more profound at Day 7 compared with Day 1, indicating a delayed biological response to MWCNTs.

Investigating biological effects of multidimensional carboxylated carbon-based nanomaterials on human lung A549 cells revealed via non-targeted metabolomics approach

The biological responses of multidimensional carboxylated carbon-based nanomaterials (c-CBNs), including carboxylated graphene, carbon nanotube, and fullerene, on human lung A549 cells were investigated by using metabolomics technology. The structure and components of c-CBNs were characterized, and their biological effects were evaluated through cell apoptosis and viability analysis. Additionally, the metabolomics analysis of the nanomaterial-cell interaction system was performed using the established platform combining liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with the bioinformatics system. Results revealed that all tested c-CBNs demonstrated some biological effects in our cell model. However, significant metabolomic alterations induced by c-CBNs were also observed mainly in amino acids, organic acids, glycerophospholipids, and glycerolipids. Further, under the tested concentrations, the multiple dimensions of c-CBNs played a major role in determining the metabolic process in various interaction modes. This study provides an advanced alternative for evaluating metabolic effects of multidimensional nanomaterials through metabolomics technology considering the association between dimension and metabolic characteristics.

Changes in DNA methylation induced by multi-walled carbon nanotube exposure in the workplace

This study was designed to assess the epigenetic alterations in blood cells, induced by occupational exposure to multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). The study population comprised of MWCNT-exposed workers (n=24) and unexposed controls (n=43) from the same workplace. We measured global DNA methylation/hydroxymethylation levels on the 5th cytosine residues using a validated liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Sequence-specific methylation of LINE1 retrotransposable element 1 (L1RE1) elements, and promoter regions of functionally important genes associated with epigenetic regulation [DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) and histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4)], DNA damage/repair and cell cycle pathways [nuclear protein, coactivator of histone transcription/ATM serine/threonine kinase (NPAT/ATM)], and a potential transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) repressor [SKI proto-oncogene (SKI)] were studied using bisulfite pyrosequencing. Analysis of global DNA methylation levels and hydroxymethylation did not reveal significant difference between the MWCNT-exposed and control groups. No significant changes in Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine (CpG) site methylation were observed for the LINE1 (L1RE1) elements. Further analysis of gene-specific DNA methylation showed a significant change in methylation for DNMT1, ATM, SKI, and HDAC4 promoter CpGs in MWCNT-exposed workers. Since DNA methylation plays an important role in silencing/regulation of the genes, and many of these genes have been associated with occupational and smoking-induced diseases and cancer (risk), aberrant methylation of these genes might have a potential effect in MWCNT-exposed workers.

Simulating Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Transport in Surface Water Systems Using the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP)

Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to perform new chemical reviews of nanomaterials identified in premanufacture notices. However, environmental fate models developed for traditional contaminants are limited in their ability to simulate nanomaterials' environmental behavior by incomplete understanding and representation of the processes governing nanomaterial distribution in the environment and by scarce empirical data quantifying the interaction of nanomaterials with environmental surfaces. In this study, the well-known Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) was updated to incorporate particle collision rate and particle attachment efficiency to simulate multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) fate and transport in surface waters. Heteroaggregation attachment efficiencies (α_het) values derived from sediment attachment studies are used to parametrize WASP for simulation of MWCNTs transport in Brier Creek, a coastal plain river located in central eastern Georgia, and a tributary to the Savannah River. Simulations using a constant MWCNT load of 0.1 kg d^-1 in the uppermost Brier Creek water segment showed that MWCNTs were present predominantly in the Brier Creek water column, while downstream MWCNT surface and deep sediment concentrations exhibited a general increase with time and distance from the source, suggesting that MWCNT releases could have increasing ecological impacts in the benthic region over long time frames.

Surfactant-Wrapped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes in Aquatic Systems: Surfactant Displacement in the Presence of Humic Acid

Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) facilitates multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) debundling and enhances nanotube stability in the aqueous environment by adsorbing on the nanotube surfaces, thereby increasing repulsive electrostatic forces and steric effects. The resulting SDS-wrapped MWCNTs are utilized in industrial applications and have been widely employed in environmental studies. In the present study, MWCNTs adsorbed SDS during ultrasonication to form stable MWCNTs suspensions. Desorption of SDS from MWCNTs surfaces was then investigated as a function of Suwannee River Humic Acid (SRHA) and background electrolyte concentrations. Due to hydrophobic effects and π-π interactions, MWCNTs exhibit higher affinity for SRHA than SDS. In the presence of SRHA, SDS adsorbed on MWCNTs was displaced. Cations (Na(+), Ca(2+)) decreased SDS desorption from MWCNTs due to charge screening effects. Interestingly, the presence of the divalent calcium cation facilitated multilayered SRHA adsorption on MWCNTs through bridging effects, while monovalent sodium reduced SRHA adsorption. Results of the present study suggest that properties of MWCNTs wrapped with commercial surfactants will be altered when these materials are released to surface waters and the surfactant coating will be displaced by natural organic matter (NOM). Changes on their surfaces will significantly affect MWCNTs fate in aquatic environments.