title: Trophic transfer of silver nanoparticles from earthworms disrupts the locomotion of springtails (Collembola).
abstract: Understanding how nanomaterials are transferred through food chains and evaluating their resulting toxicity is important. However, limited research has been conducted on the toxic consequences of trophically transferred nanomaterials in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, we documented the adverse effects of trophically transferred silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in a soil-earthworm (Eisenia andrei)-Collembola (Lobella sokamensis) food chain. We exposed E. andrei to soil with AgNPs at concentrations of 50, 200, and 500μg AgNPs/g soil dry weight and assessed their survival after 7days. Trophic-transfer containers were then prepared and E. andrei that survived the 7days test period were washed, killed in boiling water, and added to the containers with L. sokamensis. We noted negligible effects and low bioaccumulation at the lowest AgNP concentration (50μg AgNPs/g soil dry weight) in earthworms and the L. sokamensis that fed on them. The highest concentration of AgNPs (500μg AgNPs/g soil dry weight) resulted in juvenile earthworm mortality and increased transfer of AgNPs to Collembola, which subsequently inhibited their locomotion. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document the trophic transfer and adverse effects of AgNPs in a soil-earthworm-Collembola food chain, a common prey-decomposer interaction in soil ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Konkuk University, 210 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Konkuk University, 210 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, South Korea. Electronic address: anyjoo@konkuk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Youn-Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: An
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020387:Food Chain; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012834:Silver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D012834:Silver
keywords: Food chain; Nanomaterials; Silver nanoparticles; Toxicity; Trophic transfer