Abstract
Nanomaterials are meeting diverse needs in consumer and industrial products. Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are among the most commonly used materials and their potential for adversely affecting environmental systems raises concern. Complex microbial consortia underlie environmental processes, and the potential toxicity of nanoparticles to microbial systems, and the consequent impacts on trophic balances, is particularly worrisome. The diverse array of metal and metal oxides, the different sizes and shapes that can be prepared and the variety of possible surface coatings complicate toxicity assessments. Further complicating toxicity interpretations are the diversity of microbial systems and their metabolic capabilities. Here, we review various studies focused on nanoparticle-microbial interactions in an effort to correlate the physical-chemical properties of engineered metal and metal oxide nanoparticles to their biological response. Gaining a predictive understanding of nanoparticle toxicity, based on the physical-chemical properties of the material, will be key to the design and responsible use of nanotechnologies. General conclusions regarding the parent material of the nanoparticle and nanoparticle’s size and shape on potential toxicity can be made. However, the surface coating of the material, which can be altered significantly by environmental conditions, can ameliorate or promote microbial toxicity. Understanding nanoparticle transformations and how the nanoparticle surface can be designed to control toxicity represents a key area for further study. Additionally, the vast array of microbial species and their intrinsic metabolic capabilities complicates extrapolations of nanoparticle toxicity. A molecular-based understanding of the various microbial responses to nanoparticle-induced stress is needed. Ultimately, to interpret the effect and eventual fate of engineered materials in the environment, an understanding of the relationship between nanoparticle properties and microbial response will be essential.
