Toxicity, bioaccumulation and biotransformation of glucose-capped silver nanoparticles in green microalgae chlorella vulgaris
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Published version
Author(s)
Mariano, Stefania
Panzarini, Elisa
Inverno, Maria D
Voulvoulis, Nick
Dini, Luciana
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most widely used nanomaterials in consumer products. When discharged into the aquatic environment AgNPs can cause toxicity to aquatic biota, through mechanisms that are still under debate, thus rendering the nanoparticles (NPs) effects evaluation a necessary step. Different aquatic organism models, i.e., microalgae, mussels, Daphnia magna, sea urchins and Danio rerio, etc. have been largely exploited for NPs toxicity assessment. On the other hand, alternative biological microorganisms abundantly present in nature, i.e., microalgae, are nowadays exploited as a potential sink for removal of toxic substances from the environment. Indeed, the green microalgae Chlorella vulgaris is one of the most used microorganisms for waste treatment. With the aim to verify the possible involvement of C. vulgaris not only as a model microorganism of NPs toxicity but also for the protection toward NPs pollution, we used these microalgae to measure the AgNPs biotoxicity and bioaccumulation. In particular, to exclude any toxicity derived by Ag+ ions release, green chemistry-synthesised and glucose-coated AgNPs (AgNPs-G) were used. C. vulgaris actively internalised AgNPs-G whose amount increases in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The internalised NPs, found inside large vacuoles, were not released back into the medium, even after 1 week, and did not undergo biotransformation since AgNPs-G maintained their crystalline nature. Biotoxicity of AgNPs-G causes an exposure time and AgNPs-G dose-dependent growth reduction and a decrease in chlorophyll-a amount. These results confirm C. vulgaris as a bioaccumulating microalgae for possible use in environmental protection.
Date Issued
2020-07-15
Date Acceptance
2020-07-13
Citation
Nanomaterials, 2020, 10 (7), pp.1-15
ISSN
2079-4991
Publisher
MDPI AG
Start Page
1
End Page
15
Journal / Book Title
Nanomaterials
Volume
10
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access
article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution
(CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution
(CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000558261400001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
NE/N006402/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Materials Science
Chlorella vulgaris
silver nanoparticles
ecotoxicity
growth inhibition
chlorophyll-a content
morphological changes
bioaccumulation
crystalline structure
CHLAMYDOMONAS-REINHARDTII
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
WASTE-WATER
BEHAVIOR
DISSOLUTION
EXPOSURE
RELEASE
GROWTH
ALGAE
CUO
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 1377
Date Publish Online
2020-07-15