Dissolved Organic Matter and Lignin Modulate Aquatic Toxicity and Oxidative Stress Response Activated by Layered...

Advanced nanomaterials can be released into the environment and can coexist with natural organic matter (NOM). However, evidence on the impacts of NOM on the environmental behavior and toxicity of advanced nanomaterials is still scarce. Here, we investigated the behavior and toxic effects of two layered double hydroxides (LDHs) nanomaterials with different metallic constituents (Mg-Al-LDH and Zn-Al-LDH) at relatively low exposure concentrations on a freshwater green alga (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) in the absence and presence of two types of NOM, namely dissolved organic matter (DOM) and dealkaline lignin (DL). The DOM or DL interaction with the LDHs at different mixture levels was shown to be an antagonistic effect on the growth inhibition toxicity to C. pyrenoidosa mainly. The estimation of the index of Integrated Biological Responses version 2 indicated that the joint interaction of the LDHs with DOM or DL occurred in the following order of frequency synergism > antagonism > additivity. Furthermore, the physicochemical characteristics of LDHs were crucial for illuminating the mechanism by which the DOM or DL modified the LDH-induced oxidative stress response. These findings highlighted the important role of NOM in the behavior and effect of LDHs as a representative of a new class of multifunctional nanomaterials in the freshwater environment.