Ecotoxicological assessment of UV filters benzophenone-3 and TiO2 nanoparticles, isolated and in a mixture, in developing zebrafish (Danio rerio).

The increasing use of UV filters, such as benzophenone-3 (BP-3) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs), has raised concerns regarding their ecotoxicological effects on the aquatic environment. The aim of the present study was to examine the embryo-larval toxicity attributed to BP-3 or TiO₂ NPs, either alone or in a mixture, utilizing zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model after exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of these compounds. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to BP-3 (10, 100, or 1000 ng/L) or TiO₂ NPs (1000 ng/L) alone or in a mixture (BP-3 10, 100, or 1000 ng/L plus 1000 ng/L of TiO₂ NPs) under static conditions for 144 hr. After exposure, BP-3 levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). BP-3 levels increased in the presence of TiO₂ NPs, indicating that the BP-3 degradation decreased in the presence of the NPs. In addition, in the presence of zebrafish, BP-3 levels in water decreased, indicating that zebrafish embryos and larvae might absorb BP-3. Data demonstrated that, in general, environmentally relevant concentrations of BP-3 and TiO₂ NPs, either alone or in a mixture, did not significantly induce changes in heart and spontaneous contractions frequencies, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), morphological and morphometric parameters as well as mortality rates during 144 hr exposure. However, the groups exposed to TiO₂ NPs alone and in a mixture with BP-3 at 10 ng/L exhibited an earlier significant hatching rate than the controls. Altogether, the data indicates that a potential ecotoxicological impact on the aquatic environment exists.