Volume: 4, 2025
4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: E003
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.E003
Published online: 9 April 2025
ICDSUPL, 4, E003 (2025)
Combined sulfidation and protein coating. A new perspective on CuO nanoparticle toxicity towards living organisms
Mikołaj Feculak1*, Susana Loureiro2, Patryk Oleszczuk3, Izabela Jośko1
1 Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agrobioengineering, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
2 Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-093 Aveiro, Portugal
3 Department of Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie 2, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: mikolaj.feculak@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
CuO engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) are widely used across industries, including electronics, catalyst production, medicine, environmental remediation, and agriculture, due to their unique physicochemical properties, such as small size (< 100 nm), high surface area, reactivity, and particle charge. Their extensive use results in intentional or unintentional release into the environment, where they undergo physical, chemical, and biological transformations that influence their properties and interactions with living organisms. Despite their significance, the role of ENP transformations in determining toxicity remains underexplored, particularly regarding combined transformations. This study aimed to assess the impact of chemical and biological transformations on CuO ENP toxicity in Lepidium sativum and Daphnia magna and evaluate their combined effects. CuO ENPs underwent chemical, biological, and dual transformations: sulfidation in S²⁻-containing solutions, incubation in bovine serum albumin (BSA), or a sequential sulfidation-BSA treatment. The physicochemical properties and behavior of transformed CuO and ZnO ENPs in exposure media were characterized, and their toxicity was assessed following OECD Guidelines No. 202 and 208. Sulfidation converted CuO to CuS and CuSO₄, altering particle morphology from spherical to elongated structures with irregular edges, while BSA incubation led to protein corona formation. These modifications influenced dissolution, with sulfidation increasing solubility fivefold after 48 hours, whereas BSA coating reduced dissolution compared to uncoated particles. Sulfidation significantly increased CuO ENP toxicity, causing complete immobilization of Daphnia magna, whereas BSA coating mitigated toxicity and improved survival rates by 30–95%. In plants, high CuO ENP concentrations inhibited root growth, but both sulfidation and BSA coating reduced these toxic effects. In conclusion, environmental transformations critically influence CuO ENP behavior and toxicity, with effects varying by organism and transformation type. While metal ion release is a known toxicity mechanism, it does not fully explain transformation-induced changes. Further research is essential to elucidate the mechanisms underlying ENP toxicity and its environmental implications.
Keywords: ecotoxicology, transformed nanoparticles, daphnia, plants
How to cite
M. Feculak, S. Loureiro, P. Oleszczuk, I. Jośko, 2025. Combined sulfidation and protein coating. A new perspective on CuO nanoparticle toxicity towards living organisms. In: 4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.E003