Conferencia: “Ecotoxicity of inorganic nanoparticles to aquatic microorganisms”

Impartida por: Prof. Vera Slaveykova. University of Geneva, Switzerland

Fecha: 28 de abril de 2015

Lugar: Sala de Grados. Facultad de Ciencias

Hora:17:00 h

Abstract:

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are promising materials finding wide application in a broad range of new commercial and industrial applications. However, these newly engineered material properties also bear the potential for unintended and yet not completely elucidated hazards for environmental and human health. From an ecotoxicological perspective ENMs are considered as a new class of contaminants with a potential to harm aquatic organisms. According to currently accepted ecotoxicology paradigm, to produce biological effect, contaminants (e.g. ENMs) should first interact with organisms through adsorption and crossing the biological barriers. However, developed for other conventional contaminants (e.g. toxic trace metals), the validity of this paradigm as well as establishment of “dose-response” relationship is still to be proved. This presentation will address the sub-toxic effects and interactions of inorganic nanomaterials with aquatic microorganisms, comparatively on two environmentally relevant unicellular eukaryotic organisms – green alga and protozoa with quantum dots and metal oxide nanoparticles. We highlight the complexity of the behavior of ENMs in the environment and discuss the importance of environmental transformations and trophic linkages for a proper risk assessment of ENMs and for a weighing the “benefits versus risks” of nanotechnologies. 

Brief CV.

Vera Slaveykova is a full professor of environmental biogeochemistry and ecotoxicology at the University of Geneva and director of the Institute F.A. Forel. Her research interest are in development of new tools and concepts to study the basic processes governing the behavior of trace elements,  and nanoparticles, their interactions with various biotic and abiotic constituents of the aquatic systems, that are highly relevant to water quality and environmental risk assessment. She is editor of Environmental Science and Pollution Research journal.