Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Induced the Developmental Abnormality of Caenorhabditis elegans

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are one of the most popular nanoscale carbon products nowadays. However, the toxicity of MWCNTs remains largely unclear. In the present study, we used a well-established in vivo model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), to examine the effects of MWCNTs on its development time, brood size and life span. We found that exposure of C. elegans to MWCNTs or hydroxyl multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH) caused a dose-dependent decrease both in brood size and life span. Compared with MWCNTs group, the MWCNTs-OH exposed group showed less toxic, especially for the development time. Our finding coincided with the ROS generation in worms, and suggested that differences of MWCNTs and MWCNTs-OH in toxicity to C. elegans might be caused by induced ROS.