Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological Media

Toxicological effects of metal-oxide-engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are closely related to their distinct physical–chemical properties, especially solubility and surface reactivity. The present study used five metal-oxide ENMs (ZnO, MnO<sub>2</sub>, CeO<sub>2</sub>, Al<su...

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Main Authors: Mary-Luyza Avramescu, Marc Chénier, Suzanne Beauchemin, Pat Rasmussen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-12-01
Series:Nanomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/1/26
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author Mary-Luyza Avramescu
Marc Chénier
Suzanne Beauchemin
Pat Rasmussen
author_facet Mary-Luyza Avramescu
Marc Chénier
Suzanne Beauchemin
Pat Rasmussen
author_sort Mary-Luyza Avramescu
collection DOAJ
description Toxicological effects of metal-oxide-engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are closely related to their distinct physical–chemical properties, especially solubility and surface reactivity. The present study used five metal-oxide ENMs (ZnO, MnO<sub>2</sub>, CeO<sub>2</sub>, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) to investigate how various biologically relevant media influenced dissolution behaviour. In both water and cell culture medium (DMEM), the metal-oxide ENMs were more soluble than their bulk analogues, with the exception that bulk-MnO<sub>2</sub> was slightly more soluble in water than nano-MnO<sub>2</sub> and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> displayed negligible solubility across all tested media (regardless of particle size). Lowering the initial concentration (10 mg/L vs. 100 mg/L) significantly increased the relative solubility (% of total concentration) of nano-ZnO and nano-MnO<sub>2</sub> in both water and DMEM. Nano-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and nano-CeO<sub>2</sub> were impacted differently by the two media (significantly higher % solubility at 10 mg/L in DMEM vs. water). Further evaluation of simulated interstitial lung fluid (Gamble’s solution) and phagolysosomal simulant fluid (PSF) showed that the selection of aqueous media significantly affected agglomeration and dissolution behaviour. The solubility of all investigated ENMs was significantly higher in DMEM (pH = 7.4) compared to Gamble’s (pH 7.4), attributable to the presence of amino acids and proteins in DMEM. All ENMs showed low solubility in Gamble’s (pH = 7.4) compared with PSF (pH = 4.5), attributable to the difference in pH. These observations are relevant to nanotoxicology as increased nanomaterial solubility also affects toxicity. The results demonstrated that, for the purpose of grouping and read-across efforts, the dissolution behaviour of metal-oxide ENMs should be evaluated using aqueous media representative of the exposure pathway being considered.
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spelling doaj.art-0209461713f84a969793550e9335cb3e2023-12-02T00:43:47ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912022-12-011312610.3390/nano13010026Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological MediaMary-Luyza Avramescu0Marc Chénier1Suzanne Beauchemin2Pat Rasmussen3Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, HECS Branch, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, CanadaEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, HECS Branch, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, CanadaEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, HECS Branch, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, CanadaEnvironmental Health Science and Research Bureau, HECS Branch, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, CanadaToxicological effects of metal-oxide-engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are closely related to their distinct physical–chemical properties, especially solubility and surface reactivity. The present study used five metal-oxide ENMs (ZnO, MnO<sub>2</sub>, CeO<sub>2</sub>, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) to investigate how various biologically relevant media influenced dissolution behaviour. In both water and cell culture medium (DMEM), the metal-oxide ENMs were more soluble than their bulk analogues, with the exception that bulk-MnO<sub>2</sub> was slightly more soluble in water than nano-MnO<sub>2</sub> and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> displayed negligible solubility across all tested media (regardless of particle size). Lowering the initial concentration (10 mg/L vs. 100 mg/L) significantly increased the relative solubility (% of total concentration) of nano-ZnO and nano-MnO<sub>2</sub> in both water and DMEM. Nano-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and nano-CeO<sub>2</sub> were impacted differently by the two media (significantly higher % solubility at 10 mg/L in DMEM vs. water). Further evaluation of simulated interstitial lung fluid (Gamble’s solution) and phagolysosomal simulant fluid (PSF) showed that the selection of aqueous media significantly affected agglomeration and dissolution behaviour. The solubility of all investigated ENMs was significantly higher in DMEM (pH = 7.4) compared to Gamble’s (pH 7.4), attributable to the presence of amino acids and proteins in DMEM. All ENMs showed low solubility in Gamble’s (pH = 7.4) compared with PSF (pH = 4.5), attributable to the difference in pH. These observations are relevant to nanotoxicology as increased nanomaterial solubility also affects toxicity. The results demonstrated that, for the purpose of grouping and read-across efforts, the dissolution behaviour of metal-oxide ENMs should be evaluated using aqueous media representative of the exposure pathway being considered.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/1/26nanoparticleszinc oxidemanganese oxidecerium oxidealuminium oxideiron oxide
spellingShingle Mary-Luyza Avramescu
Marc Chénier
Suzanne Beauchemin
Pat Rasmussen
Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological Media
Nanomaterials
nanoparticles
zinc oxide
manganese oxide
cerium oxide
aluminium oxide
iron oxide
title Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological Media
title_full Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological Media
title_fullStr Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological Media
title_full_unstemmed Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological Media
title_short Dissolution Behaviour of Metal-Oxide Nanomaterials in Various Biological Media
title_sort dissolution behaviour of metal oxide nanomaterials in various biological media
topic nanoparticles
zinc oxide
manganese oxide
cerium oxide
aluminium oxide
iron oxide
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/1/26
work_keys_str_mv AT maryluyzaavramescu dissolutionbehaviourofmetaloxidenanomaterialsinvariousbiologicalmedia
AT marcchenier dissolutionbehaviourofmetaloxidenanomaterialsinvariousbiologicalmedia
AT suzannebeauchemin dissolutionbehaviourofmetaloxidenanomaterialsinvariousbiologicalmedia
AT patrasmussen dissolutionbehaviourofmetaloxidenanomaterialsinvariousbiologicalmedia