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Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), owing to their unique physical and chemical properties, have become increasingly popular in consumer products. However, data on their potential biological effects on marine organisms, especially invertebrates, remain very limited. This proof of principle study reports the chronic sub-lethal toxicity of two coated AgNPs (oleic acid coated AgNPs and polyvinylpyrrolidone coated AgNPs) on marine benthic invertebrate larvae across three phyla (i.e., the barnacle Balanus Amphitrite, the slipper-limpet Crepidula onyx, and the polychaete Hydroides elegans) in terms of growth, development, and metamorphosis. Bioaccumulation and biodistribution of silver were also investigated. Larvae were also exposed to silver nitrate (AgNO3) in parallel to distinguish the toxic effects derived from nano-silver and the aqueous form of silver. The sub-lethal effect of chronic exposure to coated AgNPs resulted in a significant retardation in growth and development, and reduction of larval settlement rate. The larval settlement rate of H. elegans was significantly lower in the coated AgNP treatment than the AgNO3 treatment, suggesting that the toxicity of coated AgNPs might not be solely evoked by the release of silver ions (Ag+) in the test medium. The three species accumulated silver effectively from coated AgNPs as well as AgNO3, and coated AgNPs were observed in the vacuoles of epithelial cell in the digestive tract of C. onyx. Types of surface coatings did not affect the sub-lethal toxicity of AgNPs. This study demonstrated that coated AgNPs exerted toxic effects in a species-specific manner, and their exposure might allow bioaccumulation of silver, and affect growth, development, and settlement of marine invertebrate larvae. This study also highlighted the possibility that coated AgNPs could be taken up through diet and the toxicity of coated AgNPs might be mediated through toxic Ag+ as well as the novel modalities of coated AgNPs.
Highlights
Nanoparticles (NPs) are defined as cluster of atoms with dimensions ranging between 1 to 100 nm [1]
transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements were done on coated AgNPs straight from the containers they were bought in, while aggregation size characterization was performed on coated AgNPs in seawater
The EM examination revealed that Oleic acid coated AgNPs (OAgNPs) were irregular in shape and tended to bind together (Fig 2) while polyvinylpyrrolidone coated AgNPs (PAgNPs) exhibited a fine singular morphology (Fig 2)
Summary
Nanoparticles (NPs) are defined as cluster of atoms with dimensions ranging between 1 to 100 nm [1]. Owing to their large surface to volume ratio, they display unique mechanical, catalytic, PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0132457. Effects of Coated Silver Nanoparticles on Marine Invertebrate Larvae optical and electrical properties which can be used in a diverse range of new applications [2]. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most widely used NPs in virtue of its exceptional bactericidal ability and low production cost [3]. NPs may enter the ocean either directly or via river systems [5]
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