Assessing short-term effects of magnetite ferrite nanoparticles on Daphnia magna

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are used in a wide range of sectors ranging from electronics to biomedicine, as well as in eutrophicated lake restoration due to their high P, N, and heavy metal adsorption capacity. This study assessed the effects of MNPs on mortality and morphometric changes of D. magna. According to the SEM, the synthesised MNPs were found to have spherical nanoparticles, be uniformly distributed, and have a homolithic size distribution of 50-110 nm. The EDX spectra confirmed the elemental structure and purities of these MNPs. A total of 396 neonates were used for short-term bioassays (96 h) through the MNPs in the laboratory (16:8 photoperiod). Experiments were applied in triplicate for each concentration of CuFe₂O₄, CoFe₂O₄, and NiFe₂O₄ MNPs and their respective control groups. Mortality and morphological measurements of each individual were recorded every 24 h. In the probit analysis, the 96-h LC₅₀ (p < 0.05) for CuFe₂O₄, CoFe₂O₄, and NiFe₂O₄ MNPs was calculated to be 1.455 mg L^-1, 39.834 mg L^-1, and 21.730 mg L^-1, respectively. CuFe₂O₄ MNPs were found to be more toxic than the other two MNPs. The concentrations of CuFe₂O₄, CoFe₂O₄, and NiFe₂O₄ MNPs drastically affected life span and morphologic growth of D. magna as a result of a short time exposure. The results of this study are useful for assessing what risks they pose to freshwater ecosystems.