Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The escalating challenge of antibacterial resistance has driven the widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) due to their potent antimicrobial properties. AgNPs can be synthesised through diverse methods, spanning conventional chemical and physical routes to the increasingly favoured biosynthesis approach. While offering environmental advantages, the ecological impact of biogenically synthesized AgNPs, especially on aquatic ecosystems, requires thorough evaluation. The renal system, critical for maintaining physiological homeostasis via nephron-mediated waste removal, fluid regulation, and electrolyte balance, is highly vulnerable to toxicant-induced damage, which can negatively affect organismal fitness. This study aimed to assess the nephrotoxic effects of AgNPs, synthesized using entirely "green" methods, on zebrafish after 96-h exposures to three distinct concentrations alongside a control group. Acridine orange fluorescence microscopy revealed dose-dependent histopathological alterations in renal tissues. Specifically, at 0.031 μg/L and 0.250 μg/L, significant changes were observed, including glomerular shrinkage, proliferation of hematopoietic tissue, dissociation and dilation of renal tubules, and melanomacrophage aggregation. At 5.000 μg/L, prolonged exposure beyond 48 h indicated a potential for renal tissue cell renewal, suggesting a possible compensatory response. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of zebrafish kidneys to AgNPs and emphasize the imperative for comprehensive in vivo toxicity testing, irrespective of synthesis method, to accurately evaluate the potential for adverse ecological impacts and ensure the preservation of aquatic ecosystem integrity.
DOI: 10.3390/ijms26094216
Authors: Grace Emily Okuthe, Busiswa Siguba
Institution: Walter Sisulu University
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,499
Funder: National Research Foundation
Award: G3730812552
OpenAlex ID: W4409944418