title: Alteration in Pimephales promelas mucus production after exposure to nanosilver or silver nitrate.
abstract: The fish gill's ability to produce mucus effectively is a critical part of the stress response and protection against xenobiotic toxicity. Adult fathead minnows were exposed to silver nitrate (0.82 µg/L or 13.2 µg/L), polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silver nanoparticles (11.1 µg/L or 208 µg/L), and citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (10.1 µg/L or 175 µg/L) for 96 h. Mucus concentrations based on glucose as a surrogate were determined at 0 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h and 24 h after re-dosing each day. Higher mucus production rates following silver treatment were observed at the beginning as compared to controls and compared to after 3 d of exposure. Control fish produced consistent mucus concentrations throughout the exposure (0.62 mg/L and 0.40 mg/L at 24 h and 96 h, respectively). Following 24 h of exposure, all silver treatment groups produced significantly more mucus than controls. Following 96 h of exposure, mucus concentrations in treatment groups were significantly reduced compared with each respective treatment at 24 h. Reduced mucus production following long-term silver exposure could prevent the gills from removing silver, and thus increase toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of BioMolecular Sciences and Environmental Toxicology Research Program, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA.
authors.forename: Adam D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Cammi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Jeffery A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Steevens
authors.forename: Kristine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Willett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D005880:Gills / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D011205:Povidone / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D012835:Silver Nitrate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D019343:Citric Acid; D012834:Silver; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D011205:Povidone
keywords: Metal toxicology; Nanoparticles; Nanotoxicology; Silver