TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of Carbon Nanotube-Metal Hybrid Particle Exposure to Freshwater Algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
AU - Intrchom, Worawit
AU - Thakkar, Megha
AU - Hamilton, Raymond F.
AU - Holian, Andrij
AU - Mitra, Somenath
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, The Author(s).
PY - 2018/12/1
Y1 - 2018/12/1
N2 - We demonstrate for the first time the toxicity of carbon nanotube (CNT) metal hybrids on freshwater algae. Carbon nanotube-silver (CNT-Ag) and platinum hybrids (CNT-Pt) were synthesized and exposed to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii), and their toxicity was compared to the pure metal salts. Interactions between CNT-metal and algae were studied using electron microscopy and it was observed that while outer membrane of the algal cell was damaged as a result of Ag+ toxicity from pure Ag, the CNT-Ag only caused the distortion of the cell wall. It was also observed that the CNT-Ag particles could be internalized and enclosed in internal vesicles in the algal cells. Long-term exposure of the CNT-metals showed delay in algal growth. CNT-Ag at a concentration of 5.0 mg/L showed 90% growth inhibition and also showed a significant effect on photosynthetic yield with a 21% drop compared to the control. It was observed that pure silver was more toxic compared with CNT-Ag for both growth and photosynthesis in the 96-hour exposure. In general, CNT-Pt showed significantly less toxic effects on the algae than CNT-Ag. Based on this study, it is postulated that the CNT suppressed the release of Ag+ from CNT-Ag hybrids, thus reducing overall toxicity.
AB - We demonstrate for the first time the toxicity of carbon nanotube (CNT) metal hybrids on freshwater algae. Carbon nanotube-silver (CNT-Ag) and platinum hybrids (CNT-Pt) were synthesized and exposed to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii), and their toxicity was compared to the pure metal salts. Interactions between CNT-metal and algae were studied using electron microscopy and it was observed that while outer membrane of the algal cell was damaged as a result of Ag+ toxicity from pure Ag, the CNT-Ag only caused the distortion of the cell wall. It was also observed that the CNT-Ag particles could be internalized and enclosed in internal vesicles in the algal cells. Long-term exposure of the CNT-metals showed delay in algal growth. CNT-Ag at a concentration of 5.0 mg/L showed 90% growth inhibition and also showed a significant effect on photosynthetic yield with a 21% drop compared to the control. It was observed that pure silver was more toxic compared with CNT-Ag for both growth and photosynthesis in the 96-hour exposure. In general, CNT-Pt showed significantly less toxic effects on the algae than CNT-Ag. Based on this study, it is postulated that the CNT suppressed the release of Ag+ from CNT-Ag hybrids, thus reducing overall toxicity.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055070902&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-018-33674-7
DO - 10.1038/s41598-018-33674-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 30333573
AN - SCOPUS:85055070902
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 8
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 15301
ER -