TOXIC EFFECTS OF METAL NANOPARTICLES ON FISH MODELS: A REVIEW

Abstract

The use of nanoparticles in various fields is increasing due to the fact that nanoparticles exhibit some special properties compared to common bulk materials. At present different types of nanoparticles are used in various household items, pharmaceutical and agricultural goods and even in space research. Among the various types of nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles have attracted the scientists in many ways. Due to its abounding use at industrial level as well as in medical devices, the particles at the nanoscale size level are causing detrimental effect on environment as well as on biological system. It has been already found that metal ions are toxic to fishes. Scientists have tried to find out whether metal nanoparticles are toxic to the fish body system or not. Reptiles, birds and mammals, especially humans, consume fish directly as food. So toxic metal nanoparticles from fish bodies can directly enter those organisms through the food chain. Since fish occupy an important place in aquatic ecosystems, there is an urgent need to understand the adverse effects of metal nanoparticles on fish. In this review we have tried to review the kind of ongoing research in this area, the key findings and the data gaps, where more research is needed to fill in.