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Variable silver nanoparticle toxicity to Daphnia in boreal lakes
Andrea L Conine1, Daniel C Rearick1, Marguerite A Xenopoulos2
1Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8, Canada.
Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|September 13, 2017
Summary
Silver nanoparticle toxicity to aquatic organisms like Daphnia varies significantly in natural lakes. Environmental factors, such as time of year and water chemistry, are key predictors of this variable silver nanoparticle toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibit variable toxicity in aquatic environments.
- Individual physico-chemical factors affecting AgNP toxicity are known, but combined effects in natural ecosystems remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined effects of natural water quality parameters on AgNP toxicity to Daphnia.
- To assess AgNP partitioning between organic matter fractions and its role in toxicity.
Main Methods:
- Toxicity tests on wild-caught Daphnia exposed to AgNPs in water from multiple lakes.
- Analysis of water quality parameters and AgNP partitioning into particulate and dissolved organic matter.
Main Results:
- AgNP toxicity varied significantly across lakes, with LC50 values ranging from 34 to 292 μg Ag L⁻¹.
- Time of year (days since ice-off) and particulate carbon to nitrogen ratios were major predictors of toxicity.
- Dissolved organic carbon and phosphorus also influenced Daphnia survival, indicating context-dependent toxicity.
Conclusions:
- AgNP toxicity is highly context-dependent in natural lake ecosystems.
- Environmental variables, particularly water chemistry and seasonality, significantly modulate AgNP toxicity.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for accurate environmental risk assessment of nanomaterials.
