Metabolic response of earthworms (Pheretima guillemi) to silver nanoparticles in sludge-amended soil

Min Li; Ling-Yu Ruan; Fei Dang; Hai-Long Liu; Dong-Mei Zhou; Bin Yin; Jun-Song Wang

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118954

Metabolic response of earthworms (Pheretima guillemi) to silver nanoparticles in sludge-amended soil

Environ Pollut. 2022 May 1:300:118954. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118954. Epub 2022 Feb 2.

Authors

Min Li¹, Ling-Yu Ruan², Fei Dang³, Hai-Long Liu⁴, Dong-Mei Zhou⁵, Bin Yin⁶, Jun-Song Wang²

Affiliations

¹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.
² Center of Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China. Electronic address: byin@issas.ac.cn.

PMID: 35122920
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118954

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can enter soils via the application of sludge and pose risks to soil invertebrates. However, current knowledge regarding the toxicity of AgNPs at environmentally relevant concentration is insufficient, especially at the molecular level. Therefore, we examined the effects of low-level AgNPs (7.2 mg kg^-1, dry weight) on the bioaccumulation, pathology and metabolism of earthworms (Pheretima guillemi). After exposure for 28 d, earthworms were dissected into digestive system and the rest of the body to explore the response of different body parts to AgNPs. Ag concentration in the digestive system of exposed group (2.5 mg kg^-1, dry weight) was significantly higher than that of the control group (0.5 mg kg^-1, dry weight). AgNPs exposure had no significant effects on the survival and growth, but induced intestinal damage and metabolic interference to earthworms relative to the control. Metabolomics analysis showed that AgNPs exposure disturbed the glycerophospholipid metabolism, glutathione metabolism and energy metabolism in the digestive system and the energy metabolism in the rest of the body. AgNPs exposure also induced lipid peroxidation in the digestive system. The different metabolic responses between two body parts highlighted the importance of the uptake routes of Ag. These results provide a biochemical insight for the risk assessment of low-level AgNPs in terrestrial environment.

Keywords: Digestive system; Energy metabolism; Glycerophospholipid metabolism; Intestinal damage; Oxidative stress.

MeSH terms

Animals
Metal Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Metal Nanoparticles* / toxicity
Oligochaeta* / metabolism
Sewage / chemistry
Silver / chemistry
Soil / chemistry

Substances

Sewage
Soil
Silver