Nanotoxicity testing and informatics: harmonization of methodologies for environmental nanosafety and regulation

• Grant number: 19/07058-0
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: November 01, 2019 - October 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Cooperation agreement: University of Birmingham
• Principal researcher: Diego Stéfani Teodoro Martinez
• Grantee: Diego Stéfani Teodoro Martinez
• Principal researcher abroad: Iseult Lynch Yilmaz
• Institution abroad: University of Birmingham, England
• Home Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Carlos Alberto Pérez

Abstract

The integration and re-usability of nanomaterial toxicity data are critical points for international nanosafety regulations. Nanoinformatics is an emerging approach supporting the global management and analysis of nanotoxicity data. The Eco-corona concept is an important one in environmental nanoscience and nanosafety with implications for the toxicity evaluation of nanomaterials. Importantly, it links the materials properties with the environmental implications of the nanomaterials, and provides a conceptual structure around which to organize nanosafety data. However, the current ecotoxicological guidelines (i.e. OECD and ABNT) do not yet consider the Eco-corona effect. In this context, the main goal of this CNPEM-UoB joint project is to promote a Brazil-UK cooperation towards international harmonization of methodologies for nanoecotoxicity testing. We will explore an informatics approach and integrate the experimental results obtained in this FAPESP-Birmingham project into the NanoCommons H2020 platform. The specific objectives of this joint project are: i) to implement a computational workflow for harmonization of nanoecotoxicity testing with the Daphnia Model based on OECD and ABNT guidelines; ii) to understand the influence of nanomaterial eco-corona formation on ecotoxicity and its impacts on co-exposure methods with classical pollutants (mixture toxicity); and iii) to advance on excellence in nanomaterial characterization techniques for nanobioeco-interactions such as flow field-flow fractionation (FFFF), single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS), thermogravimetric analysis coupled to infrared spectroscopy hyphenated with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TG-IR-MS), dark-field enhanced hyperspectral microscopy (CytoViva) and Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (SXRF). A focus on development of the data capture templates and integration of ontology terms needed for these methodologies into the NanoCommons ontology will facilitate the wider application of these methods, and enable future round robin validation of these approaches. Therefore, we will be working on a high priority theme for the Brazil-Europe Science & Technology roadmap on nanotechnology. The approach proposed in this joint research project would thus support reduced costs of nanosafety research by removing the need for extensive laboratory and toxicity testing, and supporting the scientific information quality control contributing to future harmonized regulations between Brazil and Europe toward safe and responsible nanotechnology innovations. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARTINEZ, DIEGO STEFANI T.; DA SILVA, GABRIELA H.; DE MEDEIROS, ALINE MARIA Z.; KHAN, LATIF U.; PAPADIAMANTIS, ANASTASIOS G.; LYNCH, ISEULT. Effect of the Albumin Corona on the Toxicity of Combined Graphene Oxide and Cadmium to Daphnia magna and Integration of the Datasets into the NanoCommons Knowledge Base. NANOMATERIALS, v. 10, n. 10 OCT 2020. Web of Science Citations: 0.