Danai is a PhD student in the School of Life Sciences at HWU

Project title: Ecotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials in zebrafish

Project funding: EU FP7 Future Nano Needs

Supervisors: Dr Ted Henry and Prof Teresa Fernandes

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are widely used in a variety of products that include electronics, medicine, and environmental applications. As a result of their small size, ENMs have many unique and useful properties. Investigating the toxicity of NPs in the aqueous phase is dependent on establishing the physicochemical properties of the NPs and relating these properties to toxicological responses.

Future Nano Needs project “Framework to respond to regulatory needs of future nanomaterials and markets”, an EU FP7 supported investigation aimed at assessment of nanomaterial hazard and environmental impact assessment for next generation ENMs.

My thesis will address the objectives of the FNN project within the context of several hypothesis-driven objectives including the following: 1) evaluate relations between NP physicochemistry and acute toxicity of aqueous phase metal and metal oxide ENMs in early life stage zebrafish with development of enhanced exposure methods; 2) investigate effects of associations between co-contaminants and ENMs in aqueous phase in context of ENM physicochemistry and co-contaminant bioavailability; 3) evaluate effects of ENM dietary exposure on tissue toxicity, co-contaminant bioavailability, and changes in zebrafish gut microbiota.