Bioavailability of Gold Nanomaterials to Plants: Importance of Particle Size and Surface Coating

TitleBioavailability of Gold Nanomaterials to Plants: Importance of Particle Size and Surface Coating
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsJudy, JD, Unrine, JM, Rao, W, Wirick, S, Bertsch, PM
JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology
Volume46
Issue15
Pagination8467 - 8474
Date Published08/2012
ISSN1520-5851
Abstract

We used the model organisms Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Xanthi (tobacco) and Triticum aestivum (wheat) to investigate plant uptake of 10-, 30-, and 50-nm diameter Au manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) coated with either tannate (T-MNMs) or citrate (C-MNMs). Primary particle size, hydrodynamic size, and zeta potential were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and electrophoretic mobility measurements, respectively. Plants were exposed to NPs hydroponically for 3 or 7 days for wheat and tobacco, respectively. Volume averaged Au concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Spatial distribution of Au in tissue samples was determined using laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) and scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy (μXRF). Both C-MNMs and T-MNMs of each size treatment bioaccumulated in tobacco, but no bioaccumulation of MNMs was observed for any treatment in wheat. These results indicate that MNMs of a wide range of size and with different surface chemistries are bioavailable to plants, provide mechanistic information regarding the role of cell wall pores in plant uptake of MNMs, and raise questions about the importance of plant species to MNM bioaccumulation.

DOI10.1021/es3019397
Short TitleEnviron. Sci. Technol.
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