Abstract
Exopolymeric substances (EPS) have an important role in bioaccumulation and toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) to algae, which warrants specific studies. The interaction of EPS with citrate and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) coated AgNPs (C-AgNPs and P-AgNPs, respectively) and its roles in bioaccumulation and toxicity of the AgNPs to Chlorella pyrenoidosa were investigated. The amino and aromatic carboxylic groups in the EPS were involved in the EPS-AgNP interactions. Compared with Ag+, C-AgNPs had comparable total bioaccumulation but greater absorption by intact algae with EPS; P-AgNPs had the smallest total bioaccumulation and were mainly adsorbed on algal surfaces. With EPS removed, the total bioaccumulations and surface adsorptions for the three Ag species decreased but the cell internalizations increased; the 96 h half growth inhibition concentrations decreased, indicating EPS alleviated the algal toxicity of Ag. The cell-internalized but not the adsorbed AgNPs could contribute to the nanotoxicity. The EPS could bind both AgNPs and Ag+, and thus inhibited the cell internalization and the nanotoxicity. However, the EPS-bound Ag on the cell surfaces would migrate along with the algae and be biologically amplified in the aquatic food chains, presenting ecological risks. These results are helpful for understanding the fate and ecological effects of NPs.
Highlights
The specific extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)-NP interaction and its roles in the bioaccumulation and toxicity of NPs to microbes merit more experimental studies
Few researches have studied the role of EPS from the specific EPS-NP interaction, much less distinguishing the cell surface adsorption and internalization of NPs
The synthesized C-AgNPs and P-AgNPs were spherical as shown in Fig. S1 in the Supplementary Information (SI), with the measured particle sizes (n > 100) being 19.0 ± 6.3 nm and 22.0 ± 6.1 nm, respectively (Fig. S2)
Summary
The specific EPS-NP interaction and its roles in the bioaccumulation and toxicity of NPs to microbes merit more experimental studies.
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