Effects, Uptake, and Depuration Kinetics of Silver Oxide and Copper Oxide Nanoparticles in a Marine Deposit Feeder, Macoma balthica

Abstract

Ag and CuO engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have wide applications in industry and commercial products and may be released from wastewater into the aquatic environment. Limited information is currently available on metal ENP effects, uptake, and depuration kinetics in aquatic organisms. In the present study, a deposit-feeding clam, Macoma balthica, was exposed to sediment spiked with Ag and Cu in different forms (aqueous ions, nanoparticles, and micrometer-sized particles) in three experiments. In all experiments, no effects on mortality, condition index, or burrowing behavior were observed for any of the metal forms at measured sediment concentrations (150–200 μg/g) during 35 d of exposure. No genotoxicity was observed following exposure, measured as DNA damage with the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay (comet assay). Bioaccumulation of both Ag and Cu in the clams was form dependent such that bioaccumulation from sediment spiked with aqueous ions > nanoparticles > micrometer-sized particles. Cu uptake...