Metabolomic analyses of the bio-corona formed on TiO2 nanoparticles incubated with plant leaf tissues

Background The surface of a nanoparticle adsorbs molecules from its surroundings with a specific affinity determined by the chemical and physical properties of the nanomaterial. When a nanoparticle is exposed to a biological system, the adsorbed molecules form a dynamic and specific surface layer called a bio-corona. The present study aimed to identify the metabolites that form the bio-corona around anatase TiO2 nanoparticles incubated with leaves of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Results We used an untargeted metabolomics approach and compared the metabolites isolated from wild-type plants with plants deficient in a class of polyphenolic compounds called flavonoids. Conclusions These analyses showed that TiO2 nanoparticle coronas are enriched for flavonoids and lipids and that these metabolite classes compete with each other for binding the nanoparticle surface.