Uptake and Transpiration of Solid and Hollow SiO2 Nanoparticles by Terrestrial Plant (Apium Graveolens var. secalinum)

Sheena Anne H Garcia; Shabnam Taghipour; Deo Charis I Mostrales; Ping Ma; Yang Wu; Shaohui Chen; Wei Han; King Lun Yeung

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144100

Uptake and Transpiration of Solid and Hollow SiO₂ Nanoparticles by Terrestrial Plant (Apium Graveolens var. secalinum)

Chemosphere. 2025 Jan 10:144100. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144100. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sheena Anne H Garcia¹, Shabnam Taghipour¹, Deo Charis I Mostrales², Ping Ma³, Yang Wu³, Shaohui Chen³, Wei Han⁴, King Lun Yeung⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
² Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Environmental Related Diseases and One Health, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning 437100, China.
⁴ Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China; HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Collaborative Innovation Research Institute, Futian, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: keweihan@ust.hk.
⁵ Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China; Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China; HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Collaborative Innovation Research Institute, Futian, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: kekyeung@ust.hk.

PMID: 39800324
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144100

Abstract

Recent studies have raised concerns about the potential toxicity of amorphous silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles (NPs). This investigation explores the uptake, transport, and transpiration of silica NPs in Apium graveolens var. secalinum. The study reveals that SiO₂ NPs can infiltrate the plant cell wall, translocate from roots to stems and leaves, leading to elevated silicon levels and posing ingestion exposure risks. Furthermore, the release of these NPs through transpiration droplets (481±205 mg·m^-2day^-1 for 10 nm SiO₂ NPs and 367±22 mg·m^-2day^-1for 20 nm SiO₂ NPs) presents significant health and environmental hazards. Modeling silica-coated NPs with thin-shelled hollow silica (h-SiO₂) NPs demonstrate in vitro and in vivo toxicity. Exposure of mice to these NPs (10 mg·Kg^-1day^-1) over four weeks induces oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, along with observed tissue damage in the brain, liver, and kidneys. These findings necessitate additional research into the neurobehavioral impacts of nanoparticles on mice.

Keywords: Nanoparticles; airborne dispersion; environmental risk; plant transpiration; toxicity.