title: Impact of silver nanoparticles on benthic prokaryotes in heavy metal-contaminated estuarine sediments in a tropical environment.
abstract: Little knowledge is available about the potential impact of commercial silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on estuarine microbial communities. The Hugli river estuary, India, is susceptible to heavy metals pollution through boat traffic, and there is the potential for Ag-NP exposure via effluent discharged from ongoing municipal and industrial activities located in close proximity. This study investigated the effects of commercial Ag-NPs on native microbial communities in estuarine sediments collected from five stations, using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) technique. An increase in the number of bacteria in consortium in sediments was observed following exposure to Ag-NPs. In general microbial communities may be resistant in estuarine systems to the antimicrobial effects of commercial Ag-NPs, but key microorganisms, such as Pelobacter propionicus, disappeared following exposure to Ag-NPs. In conclusion, the T-RFLP analysis indicated that Ag-NPs have the potential to shape estuarine sediment bacterial community structure.
authors.affiliation: Emerald Energy Consultancy Ltd, England LN7 6GN, United Kingdom. Electronic address: B_antizar@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Antizar-Ladislao
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta 700019, India.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.affiliation: West Bengal University of Technology, BF 142, Sector I, Salt Lake, Calcutta 700064, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ray Chaudhuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta 700019, India.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sarkar
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D004777:Environment; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology*; D007194:India; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity; D019639:Methanospirillum / Q000187:drug effects; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011387:Prokaryotic Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D045483:Rivers; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012834:Silver
keywords: Hugli estuary; Microbial dynamics; Nanoparticles; Sediment; Sundarban