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Acute and Cumulative Effects of Unmodified 50-nm Nano-ZnO on Mice

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Abstract

Nanometer zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) is widely used in diverse industrial and agricultural fields. Due to the extensive contact humans have with these particles, it is crucial to understand the potential effects that nano-ZnO have on human health. Currently, information related to the toxicity and mechanisms of nano-ZnO is limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate acute and cumulative toxic effects of 50-nm unmodified ZnO in mice. This investigation will seek to establish median lethal dose (LD50), a cumulative coefficient, and target organs. The acute and cumulative toxicity was investigated by Karber’s method and via a dose-increasing method, respectively. During the experiment, clinical signs, mortality, body weights, hematology, serum biochemistry, gross pathology, organ weight, and histopathology were examined. The LD50 was 5177-mg/kg·bw; the 95% confidence limits for the LD50 were 5116–5238-mg/kg·bw. It could be concluded that the liver, kidney, lung, and gastrointestinal tract were target organs for the 50-nm nano-ZnO acute oral treatment. The cumulative coefficient (K) was 1.9 which indicated that the cumulative toxicity was apparent. The results also indicated that the liver, kidney, lung, and pancrea were target organs for 50-nm nano-ZnO cumulative oral exposure and might be target organs for subchronic and chronic toxicity of oral administered 50-nm ZnO.

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Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31402263 and 41301562).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan University of Science and Technology, No. 263 Kaiyuan Road, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, People’s Republic of China

    Tao Kong, Ji-Liang Zhang, Xue-Qin Hao, Fan Yang, Cai Zhang, Zi-Jun Yang, Meng-Yu Zhang & Jie Wang

  2. Environmental and Animal Products Safety Laboratory of Key Discipline in University of Henan Province, No. 263 Kaiyuan Road, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, People’s Republic of China

    Tao Kong, Cai Zhang & Zi-Jun Yang

  3. Library of Henan University of Science and Technology, No. 263 Kaiyuan Road, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, People’s Republic of China

    Shu-Hui Zhang

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  1. Tao Kong
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Correspondence to Tao Kong.

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Highlights

• The oral toxicity of 50 nm and other size of nano-ZnO is different.

• The oral LD50 of unmodified 50-nm ZnO was 5177-mg/kg·bw and the 95% confidence limits for the LD50 were 5116–5238-mg/kg·bw.

• Unmodified 50-nm ZnO showed apparent cumulative toxicity and the accumulation coefficient (K) was 1.9.

• The target organs for 50-nm ZnO acute oral exposure were the livers, kidneys, lungs, and gastrointestinal tracts.

• The target organs for 50-nm ZnO cumulative oral exposure were the liver, kidney, lung, and pancrea.

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Kong, T., Zhang, SH., Zhang, JL. et al. Acute and Cumulative Effects of Unmodified 50-nm Nano-ZnO on Mice. Biol Trace Elem Res 185, 124–134 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-1233-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-1233-6

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