Publications by authors named "Monica Amorim"

Nanopesticides (Npes) offer improved efficacy compared to their conventional forms while reducing the usage/application rates, hence being more sustainable options. However, there is still a knowledge gap on the Npes environmental impacts. To support the safety of nano-enabled pesticides, the present study aimed at assessing the toxicity of the commercial Npe NUCOP-M and the active substance copper oxychloride, using the ecotoxicological soil model Enchytraeus crypticus and LUFA 2.

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Iron oxide nanomaterials (FeO NMs) have important biomedical and environmental applications, e.g. drug delivery, chemotherapy, magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents, etc.

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A continuous challenge in nanotoxicology is the interaction of nanoparticles with the soil components. In the present study, we compare the toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNM300K) on earthworms across 4 different soils, exploring which among the total-, soil solution-, or worm tissue-Ag-concentrations that enables the best prediction of toxicity across the soils. We exposed the earthworm Eisenia fetida to AgNM300K for 56 days to assess survival, reproduction, and bioaccumulation.

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The wide variation of nanomaterial (NM) characters (size, shape, and properties) and the related impacts on living organisms make it virtually impossible to assess their safety; the need for modeling has been urged for long. We here investigate the custom-designed 1-10% Fe-doped CuO NM library. Effects were assessed using the soil ecotoxicology model (Oligochaeta) in the standard 21 days plus its extension (49 days).

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The detrimental impacts of plastic nanoparticles (PNPs) are a worldwide concern, although knowledge is still limited, in particular for soil mesofauna. This study investigates the biochemical impact of 44 nm polystyrene PNPs on three soil models- (Oligochaeta), (Collembola) and (Isopoda). Exposure durations of 3, 7 and 14 days (d) were implemented at two concentrations (1.

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Nanobiomaterials (NBMs) have tremendous potential applications including in cancer diagnosis and treatment. However, the health and environmental effects of NBMs must be thoroughly assessed to ensure safety. FeO (magnetite) nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were one of the focus NBMs within the EU project BIORIMA.

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Safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) nanomaterials (NMs) or NM-containing products are a priority. Silver (Ag) NMs have a vast array of applications, including biomedical and other products, even as nanopesticides. Thus, their release to the environment is expected to increase.

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Because of its properties, silver is among the most used metals both as salt and as nanomaterials (NMs), hence reaching the environment. Multigenerational (MG) exposure testing is scarce, and especially so for NMs and soil invertebrates. In this study the MG effects of Ag NMs (Ag NM300K) and Ag salt (AgNO) were assessed, using in LUFA 2.

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Lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) are advanced materials (AdMa), particularly relevant for drug delivery of poorly water-soluble compounds, while also providing protection, stabilization, and controlled release of the drugs/active substances. The toxicological data available often focus on the specific applications of the LNPs-drug tested, with indication of low toxicity. However, the ecotoxicological effects of LNPs are currently unknown.

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Nanoagrochemicals have the potential to revolutionize agriculture towards a precision farming system, able to reduce application rates and consequently their environmental footprint, while keeping efficacy. Several nanoagrochemicals (including nanopesticides (Npes) and nanofertilizers (Nfer)) are already commercialized but the environmental risk assessment of these advanced materials is often lacking. In the present study, we studied the commercial fertilizer WELGRO® Cu + Zn and assessed its ecotoxicity to the soil invertebrate species Enchytraeus crypticus (Oligochaeta), further comparing it to its individual active substances CuO and ZnO.

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The European environmental risk assessment (ERA) of plant protection products follows a tiered approach. The approach for soil invertebrates currently consists of two steps, starting with a Tier 1 assessment based on reproduction toxicity tests with earthworms, springtails, and predatory mites. In case an unacceptable risk is identified at Tier 1, field studies can be conducted as a higher-tier option.

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Nanopesticides (Npes) carry the potential of increased efficacy while reducing application rates, hence increasing agricultural productivity in a more sustainable way. However, given its novelty, the environmental risk assessment of these advanced materials is mostly absent. In the present study we investigated the ecotoxicity of a commercial insecticide, with reported nanofeatures, Karate Zeon®, and compared it to its active substance lambda-cyhalothrin.

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Nanoemulsions (NEs) have been extensively studied as carriers for drug delivery, since these provide a good alternative to the existing non-nano systems, while promoting their target delivery and controlled release. NEs are considered safe drug carriers from a pre-clinical perspective, but there is currently no information on their ecotoxicological effects. In the present study we investigated the toxicity of a NE material (lecithin, sunflower oil, borate buffer) designed to be used as a liposomal excipient for eye drops, further referred to as (Lipid Particle:LP) LP_Eye and its dispersant (borate buffer) (LP_Eye disp.

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The hazards of nanomaterials/nanoparticles (NMs/NPs) are mostly assessed using individual NMs, and a more systematic approach, using many NMs, is needed to evaluate its risks in the environment. Libraries of NMs, with a range of identified different but related characters/descriptors allow the comparison of effects across many NMs. The effects of a custom designed Fe-doped TiO NMs library containing 11 NMs was assessed on the soil model Enchytraeus crypticus (Oligochaeta), both with and without UV (standard fluorescent) radiation.

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Nanoplastics (NPLs) became ubiquitous in the environment, from the air we breathe to the food we eat. One of the main concerns about the NPLs risks is their role as carrier of other environmental contaminants, potentially increasing their uptake, bioaccumulation and toxicity to the organisms. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to understand how the presence of polystyrene NPLs (∅ 44 nm) will influence the toxicity (synergism, additivity or antagonism) of the antihistamine diphenhydramine (DPH), towards zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, when in dual mixtures.

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Article Synopsis
  • Silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NMs) can be harmful to the environment, so this study assessed their toxic effects compared to silver nitrate (AgNO) using the organism Enchytraeus crypticus.
  • The research revealed that organisms exposed to Ag NM300K internalized Ag less effectively than those exposed to AgNO, and while both forms reached similar internal Ag concentrations over time, AgNO displayed higher toxicity.
  • The findings emphasize the need to consider the timing of toxic effects in ecological risk assessments, particularly for nanomaterials like silver.
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Developments in the nanotechnology area occur ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, not only in terms of safety requirements, but also to meet sustainability goals. Hence, safer and sustainable-by-design (SSbD) materials are also aimed for during developmental process. Similar to with any new materials their safety must be assessed.

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Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a calcium phosphate used in many fields, including biomedical applications. In particular, ion-doped HA nanomaterials (nHA) are developed for their increased bioactivity, particularly in the fields of regenerative medicine and nanomedicine. In this study, we assessed the ecotoxicological impact of five nHA materials: a synthesized calcium hydroxyapatite (CaP-HA), superparamagnetic iron-doped hydroxyapatite (Fe-HA), titanium-doped hydroxyapatite (Ti-HA), alginate/titanium-doped hydroxyapatite hybrid composite (Ti-HA-Alg), and a commercial HA.

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Sustainable development is a key challenge for contemporary human societies; failure to achieve sustainability could threaten human survival. In this review article, we illustrate how Machine Learning (ML) could support more sustainable development, covering the basics of data gathering through each step of the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA). The literature provides several examples showing how ML can be employed in most steps of a typical ERA.

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Chromium emissions led to increased concentrations in soil, where it can affect soil organisms to relevant levels. With the aim of better understanding the effects of Cr throughout time, its toxicokinetics-toxicodynamics (TKTD) were evaluated in the soil model organism Enchytraeus crypticus to assess the development of internal concentrations and consequent toxic effects. To achieve this goal, organisms were exposed in LUFA 2.

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Although standard testing guidelines use a species as a representative surrogate, species-specific sensitivity is well-known. The aim of this study was to investigate the species-specific difference in avoidance behaviour among Collembola species exposed to silver (Ag) nanomaterials (NM) (Ag NM300K). The avoidance test was performed with , an international standard species in laboratory tests, and five widely distributed species with different life history traits, commonly used in small multispecies systems (, , , and ).

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Substance-related disorders (SRD) have been consistently associated with alterations both in cognitive and executive functions, which affect to patients' quality of life. The main objective of this work was to test the beneficial cognitive effects on patients with SRD after the implementation of "Trisquel," an intervention program in board game format. To check the effectiveness of Trisquel program, a group of people diagnosed with SRD was randomly assigned either to the experimental group or to the control group.

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The increased use and production of new materials has contributed to Anthropocene biodiversity decrease. Therefore, a careful and effective toxicity evaluation of these new materials is crucial. However, environmental risk assessment is facing new challenges due to the specific characteristics of nanomaterials (NMs).

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The main aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of the pharmaceutical diphenhydramine (DPH) on embryo-larvae Danio rerio across distinct levels of organization - individual and subcellular - and correlate those effects with the DPH mode of action (MoA) assessed by in silico analysis. An embryos heartbeat rate reduction was observed at 10 mg/L DPH, but 0.001 to 10 mg/L did not significantly affect the zebrafish survival, hatching and morphology.

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