Feckler, Alexander
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- University of Koblenz-Landau
Research article2015Peer reviewed
Photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles affect habitat selection of and food quality for a key species in the leaf litter decomposition process
Feckler, Alexander; Rosenfeldt, Ricki R.; Seitz, Frank; Schulz, Ralf; Bundschuh, Mirco
Abstract
Interactions with environmental parameters may alter the ecotoxicity of nanoparticles. The present study therefore assessed the (in)direct effects of nanoparticulate titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) towards Gammarus fossarum, considering nano-TiO2's photocatalytic properties at ambient UV-intensities. Gammarids' habitat selection was investigated using its feeding preference on leaf discs either exposed to or protected from UV-irradiation in presence of nano-TiO2 as proxy (n = 49). UV-irradiation alone induced a significant preference for UV-protected habitats, which was more pronounced in simultaneous presence of nano-TiO2. This behaviour may be mainly explained by the UV-induced formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by nano-TiO2. Besides their direct toxicity, ROS may have lowered the leaf-quality in UV-exposed areas contributing (approximately 30%) to the observed behavioural pattern. Since the predicted no effect concentration of nano-TiO2 in combination with UVirradiation falls below the predicted environmental concentration this study underpins the importance of considering environmental parameters during the risk assessment of nanoparticles. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Gammarus; UV-irradiation; Interaction effect; Reactive oxygen species; Behavioural response
Published in
Environmental Pollution
2015, Volume: 196, pages: 276-283
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Bundschuh, Mirco
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- University of Koblenz-Landau
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
SLU Authors
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
UKÄ Subject classification
Ecology
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2014.09.022
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/68257