Gold-nanoparticles ingestion disrupts reproduction and development in the German cockroach Taika Small a,1,2 , M. Amparo Ochoa-Zapater a,1 , Gianni Gallello b , Antonio Ribera c , Francisco M. Romero c , Amparo Torreblanca a , M. Dolores Garcerá a, ⁎ a Departmento de Biología Funcional y Antropología Física, University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain b Departmento de Química Analítica, University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain c Instituto de Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), University of Valencia, Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain HIGHLIGHTS • Gold from Au-nanoparticles in food was accumulated by adult Blattella germanica. • Ingestion of Au-nanoparticles modified ootheca viability and fecundity. • Nymphal life span of B. germanica was reduced by gold-nanoparticle ingestion. • B. germanica is proposed as a model in anthroposphere nanotoxicological studies. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT abstract article info Article history: Received 17 December 2015 Received in revised form 4 February 2016 Accepted 5 February 2016 Available online xxxx Editor: D. Barcelo The present work shows the effects of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) orally administered on reproduction and development of the insect Blattella germanica. Newly emerged females were provided with food containing AuNPs (87.44 μg/g) of a size between 15 and 30 nm (mean 21.8 nm), and were allowed to mate with males. Food ingestion, mortality, reproductive parameters (time to ootheca formation and eclosion, ootheca viability and fertility) as well as postembryonic developmental parameters of the first ootheca (nymphal survival and life span) were recorded throughout the experiment. Gold from AuNPs was accumulated by adults of B. germanica with a bioaccumulation factor of 0.1. Ingestion of AuNPs did not disturb the time for ootheca formation nor ootheca eclosion. However, ootheca viability was decreased almost by 25% in AuNPs treated females in comparison to con- trols. At the same time the number of hatched nymphs was decreased by 32.8% (p b 0.001) in AuNP group respect to control one. The postembryonic developmental parameters were also affected by AuNPs treatment, with a 35.8% of decrease (p b 0.01) in number of nymphs that moulted to second and third instars and a reduction of their life span. Ingestion of AuNPs causes sublethal effects in B. germanica that compromises life-traits involved in population dynamics. B. germanica is proposed as a model species in nanotoxicological studies for urban environments. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Blattella germanica Insects Pre-reproductive period Ootheca viability Fertility Life span Science of the Total Environment xxx (2016) xxx–xxx ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: trichards@flavorinfusion.com (T. Small), ozama@alumni.uv.es (M.A. Ochoa-Zapater), gianga@postal.uv.es (G. Gallello), antonio.ribera@uv.es (A. Ribera), torrebla@uv.es (A. Torreblanca), garcera@uv.es (M.D. Garcerá). 1 These authors contributed equally to the work. 2 Permanent address: Flavor Infusion International, S.A.; Panamerican Corporate Center, Building 9090, Local 1, Las Americas Boulevard, Panama Pacifico, Republic of Panama. STOTEN-19258; No of Pages 7 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.02.032 0048-9697/© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Science of the Total Environment journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenv Please cite this article as: Small, T., et al., Gold-nanoparticles ingestion disrupts reproduction and development in the German cockroach, Sci Total Environ (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.02.032