Histopathological Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Gill, Liver and Intestinal Tissues of Caspian Trout (Salmo caspius) in Acute Toxicity

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) are used in many commercial products, including paints, sunscreens and edible products, and can be used directly and indirectly in aquaculture. Due to the widespread application of these nanoparticles, the investigation of their possible effects on aquatic organisms is necessary.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the histopathological effects of waterborne TiO2NPs on the gills, liver and intestine of Caspian trout.

In this study, 126 fish (27.46±4.3 g) were tested in six concentrations of TiO2NPs (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 mg/L) for 4 days. At the end of the experiment, tissues were evaluated to determine the effects of tissue damage caused by TiO2NPs.

The 96-h exposure to TiO2NPs did not cause fish mortality. Accordingly, investigated TiO2NPs are classified as "relatively non-toxic". The most important tissue changes caused by short-term exposure to TiO2NPs were hyperplasia and hypertrophy, lamellar fusion, necrosis in gills; foci of melanomacrophage deposits, aggregation of blood cell, hepatocytes with pycnotic nuclei, vacuolation, necrosis in liver; thickening of lamina propria, erosion of villi and necrosis in intestine.

Although TiO2NPs are relatively non-toxic,  due to the tissue damage observed, these nanoparticles can be harmful to Caspian trout.