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Effects of selected metal oxide nanoparticles on Artemia salina larvae: evaluation of mortality and behavioural and biochemical responses

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Abstract

The aim was to investigate the toxicity of selected metal oxide nanoparticles (MO-NPs) on the brine shrimp Artemia salina, by evaluating mortality and behavioural and biochemical responses. Larvae were exposed to tin(IV) oxide (stannic oxide (SnO2)), cerium(IV) oxide (CeO2) and iron(II, III) oxide (Fe3O4) NPs for 48 h in seawater, with MO-NP suspensions from 0.01 to 1.0 mg/mL. Mortality and behavioural responses (swimming speed alteration) and enzymatic activities of cholinesterase, glutathione-S-transferase and catalase were evaluated. Although the MO-NPs did not induce any mortality of the larvae, they caused changes in behavioural and biochemical responses. Swimming speed significantly decreased in larvae exposed to CeO2 NPs. Cholinesterase and glutathione-S-transferase activities were significantly inhibited in larvae exposed to SnO2 NPs, whereas cholinesterase activity significantly increased after CeO2 NP and Fe3O4 NP exposure. Catalase activity significantly increased in larvae exposed to Fe3O4 NPs. In conclusion, swimming alteration and cholinesterase activity represent valid endpoints for MO-NP exposure, while glutathione-S-transferase and catalase activities appear to be NP-specific.

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Acknowledgments

Chiara Gambardella would like to thank Prof Carla Falugi for her kind suggestions, and POSDRU/89/1.5/S/63663-Sectorial Operational Programme for Human Resources Development through the project “Transnational network for integrated management of postdoctoral research in Science Communication. Institutional framing (postdoctoral school) and scholarship programme (CommScie).” The Slovenian authors gratefully acknowledge the Slovenian Research Agency, and Tina Mesarič acknowledges the Slovene Human Resources Development and Scholarship Fund for financial support. The experiments comply with the current European laws of bioethics. Dr. Christopher Berrie is acknowledged for editing and appraisal of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council, Via De Marini 6, 16149, Genoa, Italy

    Chiara Gambardella & Marco Faimali

  2. Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), Università di Genova, Viale Benedetto XV 5, 16136, Genoa, Italy

    Chiara Gambardella, Lorenzo Gallus & Sara Ferrando

  3. Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Tina Mesarič, Tamara Milivojević & Kristina Sepčić

  4. DiPSA Alma Mater Studiorum, Viale Fanin 44, 41057, Bologna, Italy

    Serena Carbone

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  1. Chiara Gambardella
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Gambardella, C., Mesarič, T., Milivojević, T. et al. Effects of selected metal oxide nanoparticles on Artemia salina larvae: evaluation of mortality and behavioural and biochemical responses. Environ Monit Assess 186, 4249–4259 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3695-8

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