Ecotoxicity assessment of the effect of graphene oxide nanoparticles and coexisting micropollutants through a multimarker approach at individual and community levels of t
Thesis supervisor: Ildikó Fekete-Kertész
belső konzulens: Mónika Molnár
Location of studies (in Hungarian): BME Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science Abbreviation of location of studies: BME
Description of the research topic:
It has been demonstrated that carbon-based nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide (GO) may have a variety of effects on aquatic organisms at different trophic levels, however we are at the beginning of understanding the behaviour of these unique materials and their effect in the environment.
The main objective of the PhD research - in line with current research directions - to fill in the critical knowledge gaps by comprehensively assess the effect of GO and its derivatives at environmentally relevant concentrations in acute and chronic single species ecotoxicity tests as well as in complex microcosm experiments under more environmentally relevant circumstances. In various biological test systems e.g. Chlorella vulgaris, Daphnia magna and Heterocypris incongruens bioassays, a multimarker-approach will be applied. Standard and innovative ecotoxicological endpoints will be applied at molecular, physiological and behavioural levels combined with thorough physico-chemical characterization of the original GO derivatives suspensions as well as determination of their concentration- and time-dependent aggregation characteristics and stability in the applied test media. At each level of ecological complexity the combined effect of GO derivatives with the coexisting biologically active micropollutants e.g. triclosan will be investigated. The research also contains the investigation of the antioxidative processes in D. magna. By determining oxidative stress enzymatic biomarkers and ROS generation this research addresses important questions of the underlying toxicity mechanisms. The ecotoxicological data obtained during the PhD project will be comparatively evaluated with the aggregation state and surface-chemistry characteristics of GO derivatives in the applied test systems to reveal the underlying toxicity mechanisms and biologically important characteristics of GO derivatives. The planned, tiered experiments of impact assessment allows a more environmentally relevant risk assessment of GO derivatives highlighting the use of environmentally relevant concentrations and conditions providing a unique possibility to gain reliable data on the effect of GO derivatives on the aquatic ecosystem.
Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2024-05-30
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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