TiO2 nanoparticle risk assessment in a trophic chain up to human intestinal cells

Nanomaterials, particularly TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs), are widely used in commercial products, raising environmental concerns as they accumulate in ecosystems and can be transferred along food chains. Indeed, studies from our group have shown TiO2-NPs uptake from soil to plants and to primary consumers. However, very little is known about the potential toxicity of TiO2-NPs to final consumers once they enter the food chain. This project aims to examine the distribution, biotransformation and toxicity of TiO2-NPs in a soil-lettuce-snail-human epithelial cells trophic chain. Using ID21 beamline will permit to map Ti distribution and determine its speciation, allowing us to fully validate or not the results obtained previously through direct epithelial cell exposure to nanopowder and to formulate recommendations for food safety.