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.

本研究提出假设：氧化锌（zinc oxide, ZnO）纳米颗粒（nanoparticles, NPs）对泛微丝线虫（Panagrellus redivivus）的毒性，会受到粒径、线虫性别以及发育阶段的影响。
本数据集涵盖暴露于两种标称粒径（15 nm与140 nm）、浓度梯度为0至100 mg/L的ZnO NPs下的泛微丝线虫死亡率数据。研究人员针对不同发育阶段（J2期幼虫、J3/J4期幼虫及成虫）分别测定死亡率，并按雌雄两性独立统计，以明确不同年龄与性别间的差异。
暴露实验开展前，研究团队对ZnO NPs悬浮液完成制备与表征，并通过扫描电子显微镜（scanning electron microscopy, SEM）确认了暴露介质中的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较高的毒性，大概率源于其相较于15 nm ZnO NPs更为不规则的形貌与更高的离子释放量。
在高浓度条件下，雄性泛微丝线虫对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（如表面积体积比与代谢活性），可能会影响纳米颗粒的摄取与毒性效应。
在两种粒径与所有浓度梯度下，早期幼虫阶段（J2期）均表现出最高的死亡率。与之相反，较晚龄幼虫（J3/J4期）与成虫的死亡率更低，这凸显了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的毒性并非仅取决于粒径，同时还与颗粒形貌及溶解特性密切相关。J2期幼虫更高的敏感性提示，更小的体型与尚未发育完全的生理防御系统，可能会使早期生命阶段更易受到纳米颗粒胁迫的影响。
此外，雄性泛微丝线虫对15 nm ZnO NPs的敏感性增强，也凸显了在毒性评估中纳入性别特异性响应的重要性。