Dataset of Age- and sex-specific toxicity of Panagrellus redivivus

Our study hypothesized that the toxicity of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) on the nematode Panagrellus redivivus is influenced by particle size, nematode sex, and developmental stage. The data set comprises mortality rates of P. redivivus exposed to ZnO NPs at two nominal particle sizes (15 nm and 140 nm) across a range of concentrations (0 to 100 mg/L). Mortality was assessed for different developmental stages (juvenile stages J2, J3/J4, and adults) and separately for males and females to identify inter-age and inter-sex differences. ZnO NP suspensions were prepared and characterized before exposure experiments, with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) used to confirm particle size distribution and dissolution properties in exposure media. Contrary to initial expectations, 140 nm ZnO NPs exhibited higher toxicity than 15 nm ZnO NPs. The elevated toxicity of 140 nm ZnO is likely attributable to its irregular morphology and increased ion release compared to 15 nm ZnO. Male nematodes were more sensitive to 15 nm ZnO at higher concentrations, with significantly higher mortality rates compared to females. These results suggest that sex-based physiological differences, such as surface area-to-volume ratios and metabolic activity, may influence NP uptake and toxicity. Early larval stages (J2) showed the highest mortality across both particle sizes and concentrations. In contrast, older juveniles (J3/J4) and adults exhibited lower mortality rates, highlighting developmental stage as a critical factor in toxicity sensitivity. The observed toxicity patterns indicate that ZnO NP toxicity is not solely dependent on size but also on particle morphology and dissolution properties. The greater sensitivity of J2 larvae suggests that smaller body size and less developed physiological defenses may make early life stages more susceptible to nanoparticle stress. Additionally, the heightened sensitivity of males to 15 nm ZnO underscores the importance of considering sex-specific responses in toxicity assessments.本研究提出如下假说：氧化锌（zinc oxide, ZnO）纳米颗粒（nanoparticles, NPs）对潘氏滑刃线虫（Panagrellus redivivus）的毒性，受颗粒粒径、线虫性别及发育阶段的调控。本数据集涵盖了在两种标称粒径（15 nm与140 nm）、浓度范围为0至100 mg/L的梯度浓度条件下，暴露于ZnO NPs的P. redivivus的死亡率数据。研究针对不同发育阶段（幼虫阶段J2、J3/J4及成虫）分别开展死亡率评估，并对雌雄个体分开检测，以明确不同年龄组与性别组间的毒性差异。在暴露实验实施前，研究人员制备了ZnO NP悬浮液并对其进行理化表征：通过扫描电子显微镜（scanning electron microscopy, SEM）验证了暴露介质中的颗粒粒径分布与溶解特性。与初始预期相悖的是，140 nm ZnO NPs的毒性显著高于15 nm ZnO NPs。140 nm ZnO NPs毒性升高的原因，可能是相较于15 nm ZnO NPs，其形貌更不规则且离子释放量更高。在高浓度条件下，雄性线虫对15 nm ZnO NPs更为敏感，其死亡率显著高于雌性线虫。上述结果表明，基于性别的生理差异（如表面积体积比、代谢活性），可能会影响线虫对纳米颗粒的摄取过程与毒性响应。在两种粒径与所有浓度梯度下，早期幼虫阶段（J2）的死亡率均为最高。与之相反，较晚龄幼虫（J3/J4）与成虫的死亡率相对更低，这凸显出发育阶段是影响毒性敏感性的关键因素。本次观测到的毒性模式表明，ZnO NPs的毒性并非仅由粒径决定，同时还与颗粒形貌及溶解特性密切相关。J2幼虫更高的敏感性提示：体型更小且生理防御系统尚未发育完全的早期生命阶段，可能更易受到纳米颗粒胁迫的影响。此外，雄性线虫对15 nm ZnO NPs更高的敏感性，也凸显出在毒性评估中纳入性别特异性响应的重要性。