Ecotoxicological Assessment of DNA-Tagged Silica Particles for Environmental Tracing

Environmental tracers are chemical species that move with a fluid and allow us to understand its origin material transport properties. DNA-based materials have been proposed used for tracing due their potential multitracing high specificity sensitivity. For large-scale applications of this new it is interest impact on the environment. We therefore assessed ecotoxicity sub-micron silica particles without encapsulated DNA in context surface underground natural waterflows using standard assays according ISO standards. Acute toxicity tests were performed Daphnia magna (48 h), showing no effect mobility at tracer concentrations below 300 ppm. Chronic ecotoxicological was tested Raphidocelis subcapitata (green algae) (72 h) Ceriodaphnia (7 d) observed realistic exposure scenario both DNA. These results suggest environmental DNA-tagged given scenarios has low aquatic trophic levels such as select algae planktonic crustaceans.