Copper and Gold Nanoparticles Increase Nutrient Excretion Rates of Primary Consumers

In the past decade, mesocosms have emerged as a useful tool for the environmental study of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) as they can mimic the relevant exposure scenario of contamination. Herein, we analyzed the scientific outcomes of aquatic mesocosm experiments, with regard to their designs, the ENMs tested, and the end points investigated. Several mesocosm designs were consistently applied in the past decade to virtually mimic various contamination scenarios with regard to ecosystem setting as well as ENMs class, dose, and dosing. Statistical analyses were carried out with the literature data to identify the main parameters driving ENM distribution in the mesocosms and the potential risk posed to benthic and planktonic communities as well as global ecosystem responses. These analyses showed that at the end of the exposure, mesocosm size (water volume), experiment duration, and location indoor/outdoor had major roles in defining the ENMs/metal partitioning. Moreover, a higher exposure of the benthic communities is often observed but did not necessarily translate to a higher risk due to the lower hazard posed by transformed ENMs in the sediments (e.g., aggregated, sulfidized). However, planktonic organisms were generally exposed to lower concentrations of potentially more reactive and toxic ENM species. Hence, mesocosms can be complementary tools to existing standard operational procedures for regulatory purposes and environmental fate and risk assessment of ENMs. To date, the research was markedly unbalanced toward the investigation of metal-based ENMs compared to metalloid- and carbon-based ENMs but also nanoenabled products. Future studies are expected to fill this gap, with special regard to high production volume and potentially hazardous ENMs. Finally, to take full advantage of mesocosms, future studies must be carefully planned to incorporate interdisciplinary approaches and ensure that the large data sets produced are fully exploited.

Section: Large Panel Of Enm Environmentalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Environmental Risk For Aquatic Ecological Nichesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aquatic Mesocosm Strategies for the Environmental Fate and Risk Assessment of Engineered Nanomaterials

Carboni

Slomberg

Nassar

et al. 2021

“…Additionally, the sediment could act as a sink for CuO-NP and furthermore have negative effects on, for example, the abundance and bioaccumulation of sediment dwelling organisms like Gastrotricha (e.g., Chaetonotus ), Annelida (e.g., Lumbriculus ), and Mollusca (e.g., Lymnea, Physella ). ,,,, In this process, CuO-NP can be transformed more slowly and in a different ration to organic Cu-sulfides and NOM-Cu bound copper compared to added ions (e.g., Cu(NO 3 ) 2 ) resulting in different fate processes. , Avellan et al demonstrated that the persistence and dissolution of NP affects their mobility and accumulation in different compartments. Nanoparticles can also be remobilized and thus become bioavailable and enter the food web, which could subsequently lead to a trophic transfer. ,− The bioavailability of nanoparticulated Cu in fish was twice of that of CuSO 4 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biotic and Abiotic Interactions in Freshwater Mesocosms Determine Fate and Toxicity of CuO Nanoparticles

Gräf

Koch

Köser

et al. 2023

Transformation, dissolution, and sorption of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NP) play an important role in freshwater ecosystems. We present the first mesocosm experiment on the fate of CuO-NP and the dynamics of the zooplankton community over a period of 12 months. Increasingly low (0.08−0.28 mg Cu L −1 ) and high (0.99−2.99 mg Cu L −1 ) concentrations of CuO-NP and CuSO 4 (0.10− 0.34 mg Cu L −1 ) were tested in a multiple dosing scenario. At the high applied concentration (CuO-NP_H) CuO-NP aggregated and sank onto the sediment layer, where we recovered 63% of Cu applied. For the low concentration (CuO-NP_L) only 41% of applied copper could be recovered in the sediment. In the water column, the percentage of initially applied Cu recovered was on average 3-fold higher for CuO-NP_L than for CuO-NP_H. Zooplankton abundance was substantially compromised in the treatments CuSO 4 (p < 0.001) and CuO-NP_L (p < 0.001). Community analysis indicated that Cladocera were most affected (b k = −0.49), followed by Nematocera (b k = −0.32). The abundance of Cladocera over time and of Dixidae in summer was significantly reduced in the treatment CuO-NP_L (p < 0.001; p < 0.05) compared to the Control. Our results indicate a higher potential for negative impacts on the freshwater community when lower concentrations of CuO-NP (<0.1 mg Cu L −1 ) enter the ecosystem.

“…Spiders and mosquitofish were processed individually in the same manner. Digestions followed a previously published protocol. , Cu and Au were quantified using an Agilent 7900 ICP-MS generally following U.S. EPA Method 6020A . All analytical runs included reagent blanks, fortified water and tissue-mixed spike recovery samples, and standard reference material recovery (NIST 1643e).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nutrients did not have any effect on metal accumulation into various mesocosm compartments, but we observed interactions between nutrients and nanoparticles resulting in increased primary productivity. 5,40 Here, we studied the interactive effects of additions of copper hydroxide nanoparticles (CuNPs) or gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and nutrient enrichment on the rate of insect emergence, metal accumulation in adult insects, and flux of metals into riparian spiders in a 9-month wetland mesocosm experiment. We added CuNPs found in a commercially available nanopesticide at the application dose to investigate particle and biotic interactions likely to be occurring in aquatic ecosystems.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic Engineered Nanoparticle Additions Alter Insect Emergence and Result in Metal Flux from Aquatic Ecosystems into Riparian Food Webs

Perrotta

Simonin

Colman

et al. 2023

Self Cite

Freshwater ecosystems are exposed to engineered nanoparticles (NPs) through discharge from wastewater and agricultural runoff. We conducted a 9-month mesocosm experiment to examine the combined effects of chronic NP additions on insect emergence and insect-mediated contaminant flux to riparian spiders. Two NPs (copper, gold, plus controls) were crossed by two levels of nutrients in 18 outdoor mesocosms open to natural insect and spider colonization. We collected adult insects and two riparian spider genera, Tetragnatha and Dolomedes, for 1 week on a monthly basis. We estimated a significant decrease in cumulative insect emergence of 19% and 24% after exposure to copper and gold NPs, irrespective of nutrient level. NP treatments led to elevated copper and gold tissue concentrations in adult insects, which resulted in terrestrial fluxes of metals. These metal fluxes were associated with increased gold and copper tissue concentrations for both spider genera. We also observed about 25% fewer spiders in the NP mesocosms, likely due to reduced insect emergence and/or NP toxicity. These results demonstrate the transfer of NPs from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via emergence of aquatic insects and predation by riparian spiders, as well as significant reductions in insect and spider abundance in response to NP additions.