In this study, we investigated the biological toxicity of nano-scale Zn (0.1, 0.5, and 1 ㏖%)-doped TiO₂ and pure TiO₂ nanoparticles using zebrafish embryogenesis as our model organism. Zn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared using a conventional hydrothermal method for the insertion of zinc into the TiO₂ framework. The characters of Zn-doped TiO₂ (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%Zn) and pure TiO₂ were about 7~8 ㎚. These sizes were smaller than 100~200 ㎚ of TiO₂ was prepared using the sol-gel method. Particularly, in this study, we found no significant biological toxicity in the hatching rate and abnormal rate under expose pureTiO₂ and Zn-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared using a conventional hydrothermal method of zebrafish. It was different from the biological damage under TiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared using sol-gel method. We assessed that the damage was not linked to the particle’s nanometer size, but rather due to the prepare method. Moreover, TiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared using a hydrothermal method were not shown to cause cytotoxic effects, like apoptosis and necrosis, that are the major markers of toxicity in organisms exposed to nanomaterials. Therefore, there is some relationship with biological toxicity of nanoparticles and the prepare method of nanometer size particles.
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