ZnO nanoparticles: recent advances in ecotoxicity and risk assessment

Abstract

The widespread application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnO) has received increasing attention because of their potential risks to human health and the environment. This review summarizes the relationship between the toxic effects and physicochemical properties of nano-ZnO and the underlying toxicity mechanisms of nano-ZnO. This study presents the possible human health hazards posed by nano-ZnO exposure and the biotoxicity to bacteria, algae, higher plants, aquatic animals, terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates in vitro and in vivo. The advances in research on the ecotoxicity of nano-ZnO and the potential risks to human health are discussed. Finally, the current research deficiencies in this area are identified, and recommendations for future research are proposed.

Keywords:

• Zinc oxide nanoparticles
• physicochemical properties
• toxicity
• mechanism
• risk assessment

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the language help of Dor. Zhen Zhang.

Ethics

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this review article are those of the authors and/or already published in peer-reviewed journals that are properly referenced and bear no conflicts of interest.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Research Foundation of Hangzhou Dianzi University [KYS205618039], Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China [No.LY18B070008] and the Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 21407038].