TY - JOUR
T1 - Distribution of engineered Ag nanoparticles in the aquatic-terrestrial transition zone
T2 - a long-term indoor floodplain mesocosm study
AU - Metreveli, George
AU - Kurtz, Sandra
AU - Rosenfeldt, Ricki R.
AU - Seitz, Frank
AU - Kumahor, Samuel K.
AU - Grün, Alexandra
AU - Klitzke, Sondra
AU - Vogel, Hans Jörg
AU - Bundschuh, Mirco
AU - Baumann, Thomas
AU - Schulz, Ralf
AU - Manz, Werner
AU - Lang, Friederike
AU - Schaumann, Gabriele E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021.
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - The fate of engineered nanoparticles in the aquatic-terrestrial transition zone is decisive for their effect in the environment. However, our knowledge on processes within this interface is rather low. Therefore, we used a floodplain stream mesocosm to enhance our understanding of the long-term distribution and biological effects of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in this ecosystem. Parallel to pulsed dosing of Ag-NPs, we observed fluctuating but successively increasing concentrations of aqueous Ag, 88-97% of which was categorized as particles. The remaining dissolved fraction was mainly complexed with natural organic matter (NOM). The major Ag fraction (50%) was associated with the uppermost sediment layer. The feeding activity of benthic amphipods was largely unaffected, which could be explained by the low Ag concentration and complexation of released Ag+with NOM. According to our hypothesis, only a small nanoparticle fraction (6%) moved to the terrestrial area due to aquatic aging and enrichment of Ag-NPs in sediments and biota. Nanoparticle infiltration in deeper sediment and soil layers was also limited. We expect that a small fraction of nanoparticles remaining in the water for several weeks can be transported over large distances in rivers. The Ag-NPs accumulated in the top layer of sediment and soil may serve as a source of toxic Ag+ions or may be remobilized due to changing physico-chemical conditions. Furthermore, the high enrichment of Ag-NPs on algae (up to 250 000-fold) and leaves (up to 11 000-fold) bears risk for organisms feeding on those resources and for the transfer of Ag within the food web.
AB - The fate of engineered nanoparticles in the aquatic-terrestrial transition zone is decisive for their effect in the environment. However, our knowledge on processes within this interface is rather low. Therefore, we used a floodplain stream mesocosm to enhance our understanding of the long-term distribution and biological effects of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in this ecosystem. Parallel to pulsed dosing of Ag-NPs, we observed fluctuating but successively increasing concentrations of aqueous Ag, 88-97% of which was categorized as particles. The remaining dissolved fraction was mainly complexed with natural organic matter (NOM). The major Ag fraction (50%) was associated with the uppermost sediment layer. The feeding activity of benthic amphipods was largely unaffected, which could be explained by the low Ag concentration and complexation of released Ag+with NOM. According to our hypothesis, only a small nanoparticle fraction (6%) moved to the terrestrial area due to aquatic aging and enrichment of Ag-NPs in sediments and biota. Nanoparticle infiltration in deeper sediment and soil layers was also limited. We expect that a small fraction of nanoparticles remaining in the water for several weeks can be transported over large distances in rivers. The Ag-NPs accumulated in the top layer of sediment and soil may serve as a source of toxic Ag+ions or may be remobilized due to changing physico-chemical conditions. Furthermore, the high enrichment of Ag-NPs on algae (up to 250 000-fold) and leaves (up to 11 000-fold) bears risk for organisms feeding on those resources and for the transfer of Ag within the food web.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108159090&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1039/d1en00093d
DO - 10.1039/d1en00093d
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85108159090
SN - 2051-8153
VL - 8
SP - 1771
EP - 1785
JO - Environmental Science: Nano
JF - Environmental Science: Nano
IS - 6
ER -