Paper Highlights Experimental Modifications and Recommendations for Using An Alternative Testing Strategy for Nanomaterials

A review published in Archives of Toxicology this month evaluated the applicability of OECD Test Guideline 210 (Fish, Early-life Stages) to characterize the ecotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials. The authors exposed zebrafish embryos to titanium dioxide nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes following the protocol and noted several improvements to the essay to more effectively gauge the toxicity of these materials. Recommendations included:

• conducting tests using exposure chambers that ensure mixing and proper dosing
• using quantitative measurements for assessing hatching and morphometrics
• conducting shorter, larvae-only toxicity tests with nanomaterials