Analytical Sciences

Rapid Determination of Nanotoxicity Using Luminous Bacteria

Huzhi ZHENG,* Li LIU,* Yihui LU,* Yijuan LONG,* Lingling WANG,* Kam-Piu HO,** and Kwok-Yin WONG**

*Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China
**Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China

A new luminescence-based toxicity test using luminous bacteria as a reporting agent has been developed to determine EC₅₀ of different nanomaterials, such as gold nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes on living organisms. The whole assay takes only about 15 min and is as sensitive as other standard methods. Due to its technical simplicity, rapidity and sensitivity, this luminescent bacteria test has the potential to be developed as a general test of toxicity for a wide variety of nanomaterials.

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