Nano-eco toxicity study of gold nanoparticles on less explored aquatic organism Moina macrocopa: enzymatic biomarkers and bioaccumulation perspective

Publication date: Available online 22 February 2019Source: Environmental Toxicology and PharmacologyAuthor(s): Hemant P. Borase, Abhijeet B. Muley, Satish V. Patil, Rekha S. SinghalAbstractIn the field of nanoecotoxicology, very few reports have focused on biochemical changes in non-target organisms after nanoexposure. A less explored aquatic non-target crustacean Moina macrocopa was used in the present study to analyze toxicity effects of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), an emerging nanomaterial. AuNPs was fabricated using tannic acid and were of 29 ± 2 nm in size. The 48 h LC50 value of AuNPs was 14 ± 0.14 mg/L against M. macrocopa. The sub-lethal exposure of M. macrocopa juveniles to AuNPs (1.47 and 2.95 mg/L) decreased the activities of acetyl cholinesterase and digestive enzymes (trypsin and amylase). A concentration dependant increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase suggested that generation of oxidative stress in M. macrocopa after AuNPs exposure. Changes in enzyme activity can be utilized as biomarker(s) for early detection of nanoparticle contamination in aquatic habitat. AuNPs accumulation in gut of M. macrocopa increased the metal bio burden (11 mg/L) and exhibit inhibitory action on digestive enzymes. Complete depuration of AuNPs was not observed after transferring nano-exposed M. macrocopa to normal medium without AuNPs. AuNPs tended to adhere on external body parts such ...
Source: Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research