Toxic Effect of UV-Pre-Irradiated TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Sand Dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis Sperm

Over the past few decades, the production and application of nanoparticle-contained products have been increasing. With increasing production, nanoparticles (NPs) entered water and terrestrial environments, posing a threat to living organisms because their ecotoxicological characteristics are not yet fully understood. Upon entering the marine environment, NPs are subjected to various factors that can alter their properties. This could lead to changes in their toxic effects on marine organisms. One potential physical factor that affects NPs is UV radiation. The toxicity of different concentrations of UV-pre-irradiated TiO2 NPs on dollars Scaphechinus mirabilis sperm was studied, which allowed comparison of the effects of UV-activated and non-activated NPs. According to the resazurin and comet assays, a significant toxic effect is observed at lower concentrations for pre-irradiated TiO2 NPs compared to non-irradiated ones. Additionally, high concentrations of pre-irradiated TiO2 resulted in a significant increase in levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) compared to non-irradiated. Thus, it was demonstrated that the UV pre-irradiation NPs caused a more pronounced toxic effect than the non-irradiated TiO2 NPs.