Toxicity of SiO2 Nanoparticles to Caenorhabditis Elegans
纳米二氧化硅对秀丽线虫的毒性作用研究

The aim of this study was to investigate the toxicity of SiO2 nanoparticles by using a model organism C. elegans. C. elegans were treated with 0.2, 1.0 and 5.0 g·L-1 of 20 nm or 60 nm SiO2 nanoparticles, and the control group were treated with 5.0 g·L-1 of SiO2 microparticle or 0.9% saline. The toxicity was detected using a battery of bio-tests. The indicator included body size, body bends, head thrashes of first- and second-generation C. elegans, brood type and generation time of first-generation C. elegans. Compared with control and microparticle groups, abnormities in development and locomotion were induced in the first-generation and second-generation C. elegans which were exposed to 5.0 g·L-1 20 and 60 nm SiO2 nanoparticles (p<0.01). Abnormities of reproductive indicators were observed in brood type and generation time when exposure dose of 60 nm SiO2 nanoparticles exceeded 0.2 g·L-1 (p<0.01). 20 nm SiO2 nanoparticles had no significant toxicity on the reproduction of C. elegans. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the toxicities of SiO2 nano- and micronparticle treatments at 5 g·L-1 SiO2 nanoparticle solution. The results showed that the scale and concentrations of SiO2 can affect its toxicity on development, locomotion behavior and reproduction of C. elegans. The above results could provide a reference for determining the exposure limit standard for SiO2 nanoparticles.