The role of chorion integrity on the bioaccumulation and toxicity of selenium nanoparticles in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes)

•Embryos underwent four degrees of dechorionation: intact to fully dechorionated.•Embryos were exposed to a range of concentrations of four sizes of nano-Se.•Nano-Se adsorbed to chorions, the amount decreased with increasing dechorionation.•Toxicity increased with increasing degree of dechorionation.•Smaller sized nano-Se crossed the chorion to affect development and hatching. Selenium nanoparticles (nano-Se) have a wide range of biomedical and agricultural applications. However, there is little information on the potential toxicity of nano-Se once it enters the environment, particularly in fish. The first line of defense from contaminants that embryonic fish have is the chorion, but the degree to which the chorion protects the developing embryo is unknown. Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos were exposed to nano-Se in a wide range of concentrations (0.1-400 µM). The importance of chorion integrity was evaluated by exposing embryos to 16 nm nano-Se under four degrees of dechorionation: intact, roughened, partially-dechorionated, fully-dechorionated. Then, effects of particle size on embryos and larvae were determined using four sizes of nano-Se particles (16, 25-50, 50, 100 nm). The results showed that nano-Se exposure reduced survival, development, and hatching. Nano-Se was observed to adsorb on the chorion, with the amount decreasing with increased degree of dechorionation. Toxicity increased with increasing degree of dechorionation, and smaller-sized nano-Se crossed intact chorion more readily and resulted in higher toxicity than larger ones. In larvae, nano-Se accumulated on the skin and was more toxic compared to embryos. This study demonstrated the importance of the chorion in protecting developing embryos and effects of nanoparticle size on its bioavailability and subsequent toxicity.