TOXICITY STUDIES ON SILVER AND COPPER NANOPARTICLES

Abstract

In a pilot scale study, silver and copper nanoparticles were synthesized from two different plant sources viz Flacourtia indica and Prosopsis juliflora. The in vivo toxicity of silver and copper nanoparticles was tested on Danio rerio (Zebra fish) under different concentrations (1 ppm, 10 ppm and 100 ppm). Through the investigation, the nanoparticles treated fishes developed with hyper pigmentation in the ventral region. The minimum lethal concentration required to bring lethality caused by silver nanoparticle was 10 ppm whereas for copper nanoparticles it was 1 ppm. Further, the concentration of silver and copper nanoparticles accumulated inside the fish was evaluated by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The in vivo concentration of silver and copper nanoparticles steadily increases with increase in dosage of nanoparticles being tested.