Das Projekt "Interactions of nanoparticles with membrane systems of cells of higher water plants - towards mechanisms of nano-phytotoxicity" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPF), Institut d'Amenagement des Terres et des Eaux (IATE) durchgeführt. Nanomaterials, with at least one dimension of 100 nm or less, are increasingly being used for commercial purposes such as fillers, opacifiers, catalysts, semiconductors, cosmetics, microelectronics, and drug carriers. The production, use, and disposal of nanomaterials will inevitably lead to their release into air, water, and soil. Thus, while nanoparticles are finding their way into the environment through deliberate and accidental actions, ecotoxicological properties and the risks related to these novel materials have not yet been fully explored. Moreover, although an increasing number of scientific reports highlight the impact of nanomaterials on human/animal cells/organs, only very few studies have been performed to assess phytotoxicity of nanomaterials. Therefore, this project is focused on mechansims of nanoparticle uptake and internalization by cells of two higher water plants, Elodea Canadensis and Trianea bogotensis Karst. In particular, we will study a wide range of interaction mechanisms of nano-engineered materials with selected cellular structures of these two higher water plants. These both plants have well known electrophysiological characteristics and can easily be cultured and handled in the laboratory conditions. The 'nano-bio' interactions of our interest range from nanoparticles trafficking through cellular membranes, translocation into cytosol and subcellular compartments, to their general transmission in whole living plants. Thus, the project focuses on the nanoparticle-induced changes in the structure and transport of the plasma membranes. Epidermal cells of roots of the aquatic flowering plant Trianea bogotensis Krst and cells of leaves of Elodea Canadensis were selected as the subject of investigations. To achieve this goal, we will use a multidisciplinary approach, including electrophysiological methods, electron spin resonance (ESR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. Three potentially toxic scenarios of interactions of nanoparticles with the primary biological barriers (plasma- and endomembranes) will be considered: (i) nanoparticles do not penetrate the plasma membrane, but cause physical disruption of its structure, (ii) nanoparticles diffuse through the plasma membrane and during their transport affect changes in the functions of active and passive ion membrane channels, and (iii) nanoparticles are internalized by endocytosis into cells and interact with endomembranes. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to a better understanding of interaction mechanisms of nano-engineered materials with water plants and set the groundwork for the development of models of nano-phytotoxicity.