Bioaccumulation of fullerene (C60) and corresponding catalase elevation in Lumbriculus variegatus.
Fullerene (C(60)), with its unique physical properties and nanometer size, has been mass-produced for many applications in recent decades. The increased likelihood of direct release into the environment has raised interest in understanding both the environmental fate and corresponding biological effects of fullerenes to living organisms. Because few studies have emphasized fullerene uptake and resulting biochemical responses by living organisms, a toxicity screening test and a 28-d bioaccumulation test for Lumbriculus variegatus were performed. No mortality was observed in the range of 0.05 mg C(60) /kg dry sediment to 11.33 mg C(60) /kg dry sediment. A biota-sediment accumulation factor of micron-sized fullerene agglomerates (µ-C(60)) was 0.032 ± 0.008 at day 28, which is relatively low compared with pyrene (1.62 ± 0.22). Catalase (CAT) activity, an oxidative stress indicator, was elevated significantly on day 14 for L. variegatus exposed to µ-C(60) (p = 0.034). This peak CAT activity corresponded to the highest body residues observed in the present study, 199 ± 80 µg C(60) /kg dry weight sediment. Additionally, smaller C(60) agglomerate size increased bioaccumulation potential in L. variegatus. The relationship between C(60) body residue and the increased CAT activity followed a linear regression. All results suggest that C(60) has a lower bioaccumulation potential than pyrene but a higher potential to induce oxidative stress in L. variegatus.
Department of Environmental Toxicology, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA.
Jiafan
J
Wang
Mike
M
Wages
Shuangying
S
Yu
Jonathan D
JD
Maul
Greg
G
Mayer
Louisa
L
Hope-Weeks
George P
GP
Cobb
D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D037741:Fullerenes; D011721:Pyrenes; C030984:pyrene; D002374:Catalase; C069837:fullerene C60
Benthic worm; Bioaccumulation; Fate and transport; Nanoecotoxicology