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Toxicological effects of copper oxide nanoparticles on the growth rate, photosynthetic pigment content, and cell morphology of the duckweed Landoltia punctata

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Abstract

Recently, the application of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) has increased considerably, primarily in scientific and industrial fields. However, studies to assess their health risks and environmental impacts are scarce. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the toxicological effects of CuO-NPs on the duckweed species Landoltia punctata, which was used as a test organism. To accomplish this, duckweed was grown under standard procedures according to ISO DIS 20079 and exposed to three different concentrations of CuO-NPs (0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 g L−1), with one control group (without CuO-NPs). The toxicological effects were measured based on growth rate inhibition, changes in the plant’s morphology, effects on ultrastructure, and alterations in photosynthetic pigments. The morphological and ultrastructural effects were evaluated by electronic, scanning and light microscopic analysis, and CuO-NPs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, and superficial area methods of analysis. This analysis was performed to evaluate nanoparticle size and form in solution and sample stability. The results showed that CuO-NPs affected morphology more significantly than growth rate. L. punctata also showed the ability to remove copper ions. However, for this plant to be representative within the trophic chain, the biomagnification of effects must be assessed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by research grants from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brazil. The authors thank the LCME (Central Laboratory of Electronic Microscopy at Federal University of Santa Catarina) and Dr. José Julio Barrios Restrepo (Federal University of Santa Catarina) for their kind assistance.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental and Sanitary Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, CP 476, Florianópolis, 88049-970, SC, Brazil

    Cristina Moreira Lalau, Rodrigo de Almeida Mohedano, Cristina H. da Costa, Denice S. Vicentini & William Gerson Matias

  2. Postgraduate Program in Cell Biology and Development, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, CP 476, Florianópolis, 88049-900, SC, Brazil

    Éder C. Schmidt

  3. Central Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Federal University of Santa Catarina, CP 476, Florianópolis, 88049-900, SC, Brazil

    Zenilda L. Bouzon

  4. Plant Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Embryology and Genetics, Federal University of Santa Catarina, CP 476, Florianópolis, 88049-900, SC, Brazil

    Luciane C. Ouriques & Rodrigo W. dos Santos

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  1. Cristina Moreira Lalau
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  2. Rodrigo de Almeida Mohedano
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Correspondence to William Gerson Matias.

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Lalau, C.M., Mohedano, R.d.A., Schmidt, É.C. et al. Toxicological effects of copper oxide nanoparticles on the growth rate, photosynthetic pigment content, and cell morphology of the duckweed Landoltia punctata . Protoplasma 252, 221–229 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-014-0671-7

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