Ingestion of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) affects survival in Drosophila in a dosedependent manner

Akanksha Raj; Prasanna Shah; Namita Agrawal

Volume : V, Issue : VI, June - 2016

Ingestion of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) affects survival in Drosophila in a dosedependent manner

Akanksha Raj, Prasanna Shah, Namita Agrawal

Abstract :

 The enormous usage of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in wide array of applications such as environmental, engineering, industrial, biology and medical sciences are raising concerns about their potential effect on human health. Therefore, to assess its safety issues, dose–dependent impact of AuNP on different aspects like survival, behavior and fertility was investigated using Drosophila as a model system. We found that ingestion of AuNP at larval stage impairs survival of the progeny in a dose–dependent manner. However, their behavioral activities such as crawling, climbing and fertility remains unaffected even at a higher dose. Our results clearly suggest that exposure to higher dose of AuNP can negatively affect the survival of the progeny.