Protein expression profiles in marine organisms exposed to nanoparticles

Nanoparticles either occurring naturally or resulting from anthropogenic activities or designed for specific purposes have attracted increasing attention due to their capacity to alter physical and chemical properties of conventional materials and their wide range of technological applications. The development and increase in the production and use of nanomaterials make it likely that human and environmental exposure to these materials will inevitably occur. However, there is a need to identify clear end points to access the stressor effects of these nanomaterials to marine organisms. Therefore, this chapter discusses the main types of nanomaterials produced nowadays, their applications, and the main inputs to the environment and to the marine environment in particular. In addition, levels of NPs in biological systems are discussed. This chapter then focuses on the main advantages of using new technologies, proteomics in particular, to detect the mode of action related to the impact of engineered nanoparticles on marine organisms, namely bivalves and fish species.