The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action funded SOS-Nano project addresses one of the pressing issues of econanotoxicology: to investigate how the structural properties of nanoparticles (NPs) can be used to predict their potential toxicity in aquatic environments, the final sink of released NPs. The project is using the oyster (Crassostrea gigas) as a model organism to investigate the toxicity of a rang
e of metaloxide (MOx) NPs exhibiting different physico-chemical characteristics. The experimental plan of SOS-Nano is designed to highlight the relationships between the physico-chemical proprieties of the model NPs (Mn2O3, CeO2 and ZnO) and toxic activity under the influence of natural water properties, and to rank their toxic potential through a multi-tier system combining genomics and functional measurements. The NOx NPs exposure settlements mimic different conditions of salinity and natural organic matter concentration, expected to influence NPs aggregation-stability-reactivity in marine environments; the characterization of the behaviour of model-NPs in the exposure settlements is complemented by the assessment of bandgap energies, dissolution and NP biological fate within target-organisms. The induction of oxidative stress in the oyster embryos is being determined in accordance with the Hierarchical Oxidative Stress Paradigm, which describes the progressive induction of cellular responses classified as antioxidant defence, pro-inflammatory effects and cytotoxicity. The toxic responses are being ranked through a multi-tier system combining genomics and functional measurements.
