ABSTRACT
Nanomaterials possess distinctive physicochemical properties, promising a wide range of applications, from design of high quality consumer products to effective disease diagnosis and therapy tools. However, these properties may lead to toxic effects, potentially contaminating the aquatic environment, and thus, hindering advances in nanotechnology. This chapter focuses on the toxicological responses of various types of nanomaterials used in consumer goods and provides an understanding of the mechanisms that control the behaviour and fate of nanoparticles upon their introduction into an aquatic environment. With increasing use of nanomaterials in commonly used products, the potential of these materials to come in contact with our water sources is increased and may pose a risk with regard to polluting natural bodies of water. As concentration of nanomaterials increase in the water, the probability for toxicity increases as well, causing detrimental effects on aquatic organisms. Furthermore, in an uncontrolled aqueous environment, nanomaterials are at risk of aggregation, increasing to larger sizes, which has been shown to have more toxic effects. This chapter highlights recent studies that have shown that different species of fish are most susceptible to toxicity during developmental periods and that the concentration, size, surface modification and type of nanomaterials can affect their teratogenicity and mortality rate.
