Cláudia Mieiro, a researcher from CESAM/DBio, participated in the “90 Seconds of Science” program on Antena 1, where she discussed the impact of titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles on the reproduction of marine organisms. During her participation, the researcher revealed that these two compounds are frequently found in products such as cosmetics and sunscreens, which can have implications for human health as well as environmental consequences.
The studies in which she participated, as part of the “NanoReproTox: Unraveling the ecological impacts of nanoparticle toxicity on the reproduction of marine organisms” project, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), highlight the effects of these nanoparticles on two species, gilthead seabream and Pacific oyster, due to their ecological and economic relevance. The results of this study indicate that nanoparticles have a moderate effect on the reproduction of these organisms, with noticeable variations between the two species.
While no changes in sperm performance were observed in gilthead seabream, in the case of the Pacific oyster, which seems to be more susceptible to these nanoparticles, it was found that titanium dioxide affects the integrity of the oyster’s sperm DNA, and silver reduces its mobility.
To listen to the complete program here.