Assessing silver nanoparticle uptake dynamics in young zebrafish using swept source optical coherence tomography

Understanding the uptake and accumulation of nanoparticles in living organisms is crucial for assessing their potential effects on health and the environment. In this study, we employed a Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography (SSOCT) system to investigate the dynamics of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) uptake during various developmental stages of zebrafish. Silver nanoparticles in the 20 nm range were synthesized and their uptake and accumulation in developing zebrafish embryos were studied over time. Changes in optical attenuation properties observed in SSOCT images allowed identification of nanoparticle uptake and accumulation in the eye, intestine, and gill region of developing zebrafish. The changes were quantified by deriving average local attenuation coefficient values. To validate our findings, inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis was performed.