title: Perturbation of an arctic soil microbial community by metal nanoparticles.
abstract: Technological advances allowing routine nanoparticle (NP) manufacture have enabled their use in electronic equipment, foods, clothing and medical devices. Although some NPs have antibacterial activity, little is known about their environmental impact and there is no information on the influence of NPs on soil in the possibly vulnerable ecosystems of polar regions. The potential toxicity of 0.066% silver, copper or silica NPs on a high latitude (>78°N) soil was determined using community level physiological profiles (CLPP), fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) assays and DNA analysis, including sequencing and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The results of these different investigations were amalgamated in order to develop a community toxicity indicator, which revealed that of the three NPs examined, silver NPs could be classified as highly toxic to these arctic consortia. Subsequent culture-based studies confirmed that one of the community-identified plant-associating bacteria, Bradyrhizobium canariense, appeared to have a marked sensitivity to silver NPs. Thus, NP contamination of arctic soils particularly by silver NPs is a concern and procedures for mitigation and remediation of such pollution should be a priority for investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.
authors.forename: Niraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Virginia K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001110:Arctic Regions; D020369:Bradyrhizobium / Q000187:drug effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000187:drug effects*; D012834:Silver; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012834:Silver