Effects of carbon and silicon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers on marine microalgae Heterosigma akashiwo

K S Pikula; A M Zakharenko; V V Chaika; A A Vedyagin; T Yu Orlova; I V Mishakov; V L Kuznetsov; S Park; E A Renieri; A Kahru; A M Tsatsakis; K S Golokhvast

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.005

Effects of carbon and silicon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers on marine microalgae Heterosigma akashiwo

Environ Res. 2018 Oct:166:473-480. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.005. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Authors

K S Pikula¹, A M Zakharenko², V V Chaika¹, A A Vedyagin³, T Yu Orlova⁴, I V Mishakov³, V L Kuznetsov³, S Park⁵, E A Renieri⁶, A Kahru⁷, A M Tsatsakis⁶, K S Golokhvast⁸

Affiliations

¹ Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russian Federation.
² Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russian Federation. Electronic address: zakharenko.am@dvfu.ru.
³ Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation.
⁴ A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia.
⁵ Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
⁶ Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
⁷ National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn, Estonia; Estonian Academy of Sciences, Kohtu 6, 10130 Tallinn, Estonia.
⁸ Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russian Federation; Pacific Geographical Institute FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russian Federation.

PMID: 29957500
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.005

Abstract

The effect of carbon and silicon nanotubes (CNTs and SiNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) to microscopic marine algae Heterosigma akashiwo was studied, using algal growth inhibition for 3 days (acute effect) and 7 days (chronic effect) as toxicity endpoints. The criterion of the toxic effect was the statistically significant reduction of the number of algal cells in the exposed samples compared to the control. Samples did not demonstrate toxic effects at doses 1 mg/l and 10 mg/l. CNTs and SiNTs samples at 100 mg/l exhibited both acute and chronic toxic effects. We assume that the main cause of cell death in these samples was related to the mechanical damage of cell integrity. CNFs at concentrations of 100 mg/l did not inhibit algal growth, but cells with irregular shapes were observed, which were not observed after exposure to CNTs and SiNTs. Nickel impurities present in CNFs samples are presumably the main cause of observed cell deformations.

Keywords: Carbon nanofibers; Carbon nanotubes; Marine microalgae Heterosigma akashiwo; Silicon nanotubes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Microalgae / drug effects*
Nanofibers / toxicity*
Nanotubes, Carbon / toxicity*
Silicon / toxicity*

Substances

Nanotubes, Carbon
Silicon