The metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) ZnO are used in daily products such as, toothpaste, sunscreens, cosmetics or beauty products, and textiles. Our previous investigations showed ZnO NPs affect reproduction in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). However the mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study we firstly characterize the ZnO particle sizes and distributions in aqueous solutions using a dynamic light scatter. We found that ZnO NPs forms aggregations, however aggregated particles were also found in the cuticle and the gonad (reproduction organ) of C. elegans as detected by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further we tested the reproduction processes of oogenesis and spermatogenesis following different dosages of ZnO NPs exposures. Histologicalresults showed that ZnO NPs significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells in gonad, indicating oogenesis defects. The effects of ZnO on spermatogenesis and related mechanisms are currently under investigation.

Uptake and reproductive toxicity of the metal oxide nanoparticle ZnO in Caenorhabditis elegans

249th National Meeting (2015)

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