Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i>
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 necessa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-07-01
|
| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/7/1377 |
| _version_ | 1797562428231254016 |
|---|---|
| author | Stefania Mariano Elisa Panzarini Maria D. Inverno Nick Voulvoulis Luciana Dini |
| author_facet | Stefania Mariano Elisa Panzarini Maria D. Inverno Nick Voulvoulis Luciana Dini |
| author_sort | Stefania Mariano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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, <i>Daphnia magna</i>, sea urchins and <i>Danio rerio</i>, 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 <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> is one of the most used microorganisms for waste treatment. With the aim to verify the possible involvement of <i>C. vulgaris</i> 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<sup>+</sup> ions release, green chemistry-synthesised and glucose-coated AgNPs (AgNPs-G) were used. <i>C. vulgaris</i> 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 <i>C. vulgaris</i> as a bioaccumulating microalgae for possible use in environmental protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:29:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d69a4e0eff554469ab923210d872bf53 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:29:05Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-d69a4e0eff554469ab923210d872bf532023-11-20T06:49:37ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912020-07-01107137710.3390/nano10071377Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i>Stefania Mariano0Elisa Panzarini1Maria D. Inverno2Nick Voulvoulis3Luciana Dini4Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, ItalyDepartment of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, ItalyCentre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UKCentre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UKDepartment of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalySilver 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, <i>Daphnia magna</i>, sea urchins and <i>Danio rerio</i>, 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 <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> is one of the most used microorganisms for waste treatment. With the aim to verify the possible involvement of <i>C. vulgaris</i> 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<sup>+</sup> ions release, green chemistry-synthesised and glucose-coated AgNPs (AgNPs-G) were used. <i>C. vulgaris</i> 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 <i>C. vulgaris</i> as a bioaccumulating microalgae for possible use in environmental protection.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/7/1377<i>Chlorella vulgaris</i>silver nanoparticlesecotoxicitygrowth inhibitionchlorophyll-a contentmorphological changes |
| spellingShingle | Stefania Mariano Elisa Panzarini Maria D. Inverno Nick Voulvoulis Luciana Dini Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> Nanomaterials <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> silver nanoparticles ecotoxicity growth inhibition chlorophyll-a content morphological changes |
| title | Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> |
| title_full | Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> |
| title_fullStr | Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> |
| title_short | Toxicity, Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Glucose-Capped Silver Nanoparticles in Green Microalgae <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> |
| title_sort | toxicity bioaccumulation and biotransformation of glucose capped silver nanoparticles in green microalgae i chlorella vulgaris i |
| topic | <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> silver nanoparticles ecotoxicity growth inhibition chlorophyll-a content morphological changes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/7/1377 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stefaniamariano toxicitybioaccumulationandbiotransformationofglucosecappedsilvernanoparticlesingreenmicroalgaeichlorellavulgarisi AT elisapanzarini toxicitybioaccumulationandbiotransformationofglucosecappedsilvernanoparticlesingreenmicroalgaeichlorellavulgarisi AT mariadinverno toxicitybioaccumulationandbiotransformationofglucosecappedsilvernanoparticlesingreenmicroalgaeichlorellavulgarisi AT nickvoulvoulis toxicitybioaccumulationandbiotransformationofglucosecappedsilvernanoparticlesingreenmicroalgaeichlorellavulgarisi AT lucianadini toxicitybioaccumulationandbiotransformationofglucosecappedsilvernanoparticlesingreenmicroalgaeichlorellavulgarisi |