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.