Range of Resistance of Hydrobionts to Medium Contamination with Manufactured Nanoparticles

Abstract

An assessment was performed to estimate ecological and biological effects of metallic and binary NPs of various chemical nature and structural characteristics. Application of rapid toxicity tests using hydrobionts of various trophic levels (E. coli, Сhlorella v. B., Paramecium c., Daphnia m. S., Danio r.) allowed to determine resistance range to NPs Ni, Pt, ZnO and CeO2. It was established that test reaction to contamination of water with NPs and development of adverse effects to phyto- and zooplankton is contingent on NPs physicochemical properties and sensitivity of hydrobionts. Concentrations of NPs not causing observed change of test reactions were determined. Chlorella v. B. was established to be the most vulnerable to contamination of medium with NPs; photosynthetic pigment quantity was determined to be the most sensitive parameter: nCeO2 L(E)С10 = 0.0007 mg/l, nNi L(E)С10 = 0.0015 mg/l, nZnO L(E)С10 = 0.0048 mg/l, nPt L(E)С10 = 0.033 mg/l. The highest resistance (L(E)С10 > 100 mg/l) to contamination shown by: E. Coli, Daphnia m. S., Danio r. tonPt; Danio r. to NNi and nZnO, E. Coli, Paramecium c. to nCeO2; and Danior r. by the parameter ‘embryotoxicity’. The most vulnerable chains of trophic structure of communities were revealed as well as ways of disrupting food pyramid of an aquatic system. Range of resistance or range of concentrations within which biota retains resistance was shown to be an integral characteristic of NPs effects on ecosystems.