Tin compound is a major industrial metal and nowadays SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) are used for their conductive properties by modern industry in different consumer products. However manufacture, use and potential release of this material have preceded the evaluation of the environmental risks. The aim of this work was to evaluate if SnO2 engineered nanoparticles have acute effect for short time on soil microbial biomass and Lumbricus rubellus. Two experiments were carried out: the first a Cambisol has been exposed at 500 mg Sn-SnO2/kg and the second a “Technologic soil” with earthworms at 50 and 500 mg Sn-SnO2/kg. The biological assays show an increment of C and N biomass, but did not differ significantly from that in the control group. The presence of SnO2 is clearly detected in soil by Environmental Scanning Electro Microscopy (ESEM) coupled by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The NPs chemical composition appears unaltered, while the size can be modified by NPs aggregation. The preliminary results of physicochemical analysis of both soils have showed a solubility of the SnO2 NPs in aqua regia, but not in EDTA and DTPA. The detection of Sn in water at the equilibrium (after 16 hours shaking) can be due to weak link between the NPs and soil natural colloids. For this case the NPs are found in water phase. The analysis by ESEM-EDS have shown that SnO2 may penetrate into the earthworms through intestine, but they have no acute toxic effect. The NPs ingestion is confirmed by analysis of earthworms dejections.
L. Vittori Antisari, S. Carbone, G. Vianello, A. Fabrizi, A. Gatti (2012). Effect of tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles on soil organisms (microbial biomass, Lumbricus rubellus).
Effect of tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles on soil organisms (microbial biomass, Lumbricus rubellus)
VITTORI ANTISARI, LIVIA;CARBONE, SERENA;VIANELLO, GILMO;
2012
Abstract
Tin compound is a major industrial metal and nowadays SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) are used for their conductive properties by modern industry in different consumer products. However manufacture, use and potential release of this material have preceded the evaluation of the environmental risks. The aim of this work was to evaluate if SnO2 engineered nanoparticles have acute effect for short time on soil microbial biomass and Lumbricus rubellus. Two experiments were carried out: the first a Cambisol has been exposed at 500 mg Sn-SnO2/kg and the second a “Technologic soil” with earthworms at 50 and 500 mg Sn-SnO2/kg. The biological assays show an increment of C and N biomass, but did not differ significantly from that in the control group. The presence of SnO2 is clearly detected in soil by Environmental Scanning Electro Microscopy (ESEM) coupled by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The NPs chemical composition appears unaltered, while the size can be modified by NPs aggregation. The preliminary results of physicochemical analysis of both soils have showed a solubility of the SnO2 NPs in aqua regia, but not in EDTA and DTPA. The detection of Sn in water at the equilibrium (after 16 hours shaking) can be due to weak link between the NPs and soil natural colloids. For this case the NPs are found in water phase. The analysis by ESEM-EDS have shown that SnO2 may penetrate into the earthworms through intestine, but they have no acute toxic effect. The NPs ingestion is confirmed by analysis of earthworms dejections.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
