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Soil Ecology Letters

ISSN 2662-2289

ISSN 2662-2297(Online)

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Soil Ecology Letters    2022, Vol. 4 Issue (4) : 435-443    https://doi.org/10.1007/s42832-021-0125-z
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Biological transfer of silver under silver nanoparticle exposure and nitrogen transfer via a collembolan-predatory mite food-chain and ecotoxicity of silver sulfide
Simin Li1,2, Zhu Li1, Xin Ke3, Longhua Wu1(), Peter Christie1
1. CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3. Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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Abstract

• AgNPs transferred and accumulated though soil animal food chain.

• Ÿ AgNPs trophic transfer disturbed nutrient element N transfer.

• Ag accumulated in body tissue, but no biomagnification effects.

• Ag2S was harmful to F. candida on survival and reproduction.

The development of nanotechnology has accelerated the use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in household chemicals and the accumulation of Ag in sewage treatment systems. The application of sewage sludge products to soils raises concerns over the safety of Ag in the function and biogeochemical cycles of the soil belowground ecosystem. Here, we assess the potential risk of the accumulation and transfer of Ag under AgNPs exposure and its effects on the trophic transfer of nitrogen (N) through a soil animal food chain (Folsomia candida–Hypoaspis aculeifer). The formation of stable silver sulfide (Ag2S) was also studied via a single species test using F. candida. Concentrations of Ag in F. candida increased with increasing AgNPs concentration, as did those in the predator H. aculeifer, but the Ag bioaccumulation factors of both animals were<1. Folsomia candida body tissue 15N abundance declined markedly compared with that of H. aculeifer. Silver sulfide did have adverse effects on the survival and reproduction of F. candida. The Ag concentrations of F. candida increased with increasing Ag2S concentration in sludge-treated soils. Silver sulfide showed ecotoxicity to the collembolan, therefore ecotoxicity resulting from the transformation and fate of AgNPs in soils needs to be considered before biosolid products are applied to agricultural soils.
Keywords AgNPs      Ag2S      15N      soil animals      food chain     
Corresponding Author(s): Longhua Wu   
About author:

Tongcan Cui and Yizhe Hou contributed equally to this work.
Online First Date: 18 February 2022    Issue Date: 25 October 2022
 Cite this article:   
Simin Li,Zhu Li,Xin Ke, et al. Biological transfer of silver under silver nanoparticle exposure and nitrogen transfer via a collembolan-predatory mite food-chain and ecotoxicity of silver sulfide[J]. Soil Ecology Letters, 2022, 4(4): 435-443.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/sel/EN/10.1007/s42832-021-0125-z
https://academic.hep.com.cn/sel/EN/Y2022/V4/I4/435
Fig.1  Silver concentrations in body tissues of F. candida (A) and H. aculeifer (B) on plate dietary exposure test. Results expressed as mean ± standard error (SE), n = 3. Lowercase letters indicate the differences between different treatment means.
Fig.2  Atom % 15N in body tissues of F. candida and H. aculeifer on plate dietary exposure test. Results expressed as mean ± standard error (SE), n = 3. Lowercase letters indicate the differences between different treatment means.
Fig.3  Number of adults (A) and juveniles (B) in spiked soil after 28 d of exposure. Results expressed as mean±standard error (SE), n = 4. Lowercase letters indicate the differences between different treatment means.
Fig.4  Body length of adults and juveniles in spiked soil after 28 d of exposure. Results expressed as mean±standard error (SE), n = 4. Lowercase letters indicate the differences between different treatment means.
Fig.5  Silver concentrations in adult and juvenile body tissues in spiked soil after 28 d of exposure. Results expressed as mean ± standard error (SE), n = 4. Lowercase letters indicate the differences between different treatment means.
Exposure treatment BAF
F. candida H. aculeifer
AgNPs 100 0.093a 0.23a
AgNPs 200 0.083ab 0.23a
AgNPs 400 0.063bc 0.22a
AgNPs 600 0.056c 0.19a
Tab.1  BAF values for the transfer of Ag to F. candida and H. aculeifer.
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