Risks associated with copper and copper oxide nanoparticles
News
+ Info sheets
Agenda
By the AVICENN team – Last modification March 2021
Risks associated with copper and copper oxide nanoparticles
Copper and copper oxide nanoparticles are used for their antibacterial and antifungal properties.
What about environmental and health risks?
Data are still very patchy, but caution is necessary due to their possible accumulation in certain organs – notably the liver and spleen – as well as potential mutagenic/genotoxic and immunotoxic/nephrotoxic effects1See Opinion on Copper (nano) and Colloidal Copper (nano), Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), March 2021.
Bibliography
Explore the bibliography below to learn more:
Bibliography Nanocopper and Risks
- In French :
- Understanding the cytotoxicity of metallic nanoparticles, CNRS, March 11, 2021
- Antibacterial effects of copper, copper oxide and iron oxide nanoparticles, Myriam Talantikit, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, École polytechnique de Montréal, 2014
- In English:
- Ecotoxicity of as-synthesized copper nanoparticles on soil bacteria, IET Nanobiotechnology, Sharma P et al, March 2021
- Opinion on Copper (nano) and Colloidal Copper (nano), Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), March 2021
- Exposure to copper oxide nanoparticles triggers oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-induced toxicology and apoptosis in male rat liver and BRL-3A cell, Liu H et al, Journal of hazardous materials, 421, 2021
- ZnO and CuO nanoparticles: a threat to soil organisms, plants, and human health, Rajput V et al, Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 42: 147-158, 2020
- Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) chemosensory detection of and reactions to copper nanoparticles and copper ions, Razmara P et al, Environmental Pollution, 260, May 2020
- Epigenetic effects of (nano)materials in environmental species – Cu case study in Enchytraeus crypticus, Bicho RC et al, Environment International, 136, March 2020
- Copper Nanoparticles Mitigate the Growth, Immunity, and Oxidation Resistance in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio), Dawoo M et al, Biological Trace Element Research, 5 February 2020
- Effects of copper oxide nanoparticles on the Chlorella algae in the presence of humic acid, Fathi P et al, SN Applied Sciences, 1 January 2020
- Copper nanoparticles induce zebrafish intestinal defects via endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress, Zhao G. et al, Royal society of chemistry, 28 November 2019
- Assessment of Cu and CuO nanoparticle ecological responses using laboratory small-scale microcosms, Fan Wu, Bryan J. Harper, Lauren E. Crandon, Stacey L. Harper, Royal society of chemistry, 20 November 2019
- Effects of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) on Parturition Time, Survival Rate and Reproductive Success of Guppy Fish, Poecilia reticulata, Mohammad Forouhar Vajargah et al, Journal of Cluster Science, 7 September 2019
- Interaction of copper-based nanoparticles to soil, terrestrial, and aquatic systems: critical review of the state of the science and future perspectives, Rajput V et al, Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 252: 51-96, 2019
Any questions or comments? This information sheet compiled by AVICENN is intended to be completed and updated. Please feel free to contribute.
Other news on the topic
Our information sheets to go further
Upcoming Nano Agenda
24
Avr.
2025
NAM to study epithelial perturbations in carbon nanomaterial-induced lung inflammation (EUROTOX, Online)
On line
Webinar
- Webinar presenting the example guide produced by NanoMesureFrance, to illustrate the difficulties encountered in dimensional analysis of particles by electron and atomic force microscopy.
- Organizers: Eurotox
- Speaker: Carola Voss (Helmholtz Zentrum München)
- Registration form
28
Avr.
2025
Understanding Nanoscience (Paris Saclay University, Online)
On line
Training
- MOOC from April 28 to June 22, 2025
- Public who has carried out two or more years of scientific studies at university, as well as professionals or the self-educated who want to discover, learn more or acquire specific knowledge in some area of nanoscience.
- Organizer: Paris Saclay University
- Course paln:
- Theme 1: Introduction to nanoscience and nanotechnology – Let’s lay the foundations and discover the key concepts of this field.
- Theme 2: How can you “see” and fabricate nano-objects? We will discover what tools are used to observe matter at these scales and what techniques the scientist can use to make objects that are only a few billionths of a meter in size.
- Theme 3: Nanochemistry – From carbon to porous solids and nanoparticle synthesis; applications of the field.
- Theme 4: Nanophysics – Quantum effects and nanoelectronic devices; optical nanostructures: the confinement of light and emission; nanosensors; applications of the field.
- Theme 5: Nanobiology, Nanomedicine, Micro-nanofluidics – The study and manipulation of molecules; treating diseases with nanomedicine; the on-chip manipulation of liquids for medical diagnosis; applications of the field.
- Theme 6: Nanoscience and Society: Are Nanotechnologies dangerous? Societal, health and environmental issues.
- Website: www.fun-mooc.fr/en/courses/understanding-nanosciences
1
Mai
2025
Controlling the risks associated with nanomaterials (CEA, Online)
On line
Training
- E-learning program: awareness-raising for personnel who come into contact with nanomaterials during research, formulation, production, maintenance, cleaning, upkeep, etc., as well as safety coordinators or engineers, facility managers, heads of laboratories where nanoparticles are handled.
- Organizers: INSTN Grenoble (CEA)
- On the program:
- 1 – Introduction, definition and characteristics of nanomaterials
- 2 – Toxicity of nanomaterials: the state of knowledge
- 3 – Metrology and characterization of nanomaterials
- 4 – Prevention and protection against nanomaterials in the workplace
- 5 – Quiz: assessment of learning outcomes
- The 2-hour course can be viewed for one month from the date of registration.
- Website: https://instn.cea.fr/…risques-lies-aux-nanomateriaux…
This file was originally created in May 2020
Notes and references
- 1See Opinion on Copper (nano) and Colloidal Copper (nano), Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), March 2021