Title:
Nanoparticle-mediated r-depression in the rotifer Brachionus manjavacas
Nanoparticle-mediated r-depression in the rotifer Brachionus manjavacas
Author(s)
Hicks, Daniel
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Collections
Supplementary to
Permanent Link
Abstract
Nanotechnology research promises novel and practical applications of well-characterized materials. However, responsible development of the nanotechnology industry necessitates proactive research into the ecological responses of communities to the presence of nano-scale materials. I attempt to discern if and how the presence of inert nanoparticles at varying concentrations and size affects the fitness of populations of Brachionus manjavacas (Rotifera). Feeding fluorescently labeled 50 nm latex microspheres to rotifers produced dramatic fluorescence distributed throughout the females and their eggs. Fluorescent intensity was distinct from background epifluorescence exhibited by B. manjavacas, and increased with concentration, availability of food, and duration of exposure. Transfer of exposed maternal females and F1 offspring into nanoparticle-free environments demonstrated that these nanoparticles were rapidly cleared from the animals, and that the offspring suffered no significant effects from parental exposure. However, the population growth rate was depressed 50% in rotifer cultures exposed to 0.30 ug/mL of 50 nm particles, and 89% in cultures with nanoparticle concentrations of 1.14 ìg/mL. Nanoparticles of identical composition but of larger diameter (up to 3000 nm, comparable to algae cells, a natural food source), caused no reduction in population growth rate. These larger particles remained confined in the gut, implicating nanoparticle size as a critical factor in bioactivity. Causes of growth rate depression include, but are not limited to, a marked decrease in feeding behavior. Mode of entry is suspected to be either epithelial digestive-tract phagocytosis or introduction through cellular pores.
Sponsor
Date Issued
2009-12
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Undergraduate Thesis