Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (NPs) are used in more consumer products than any other nanomaterial and their release into the environment is unavoidable. Of primary concern is the wastewater stream in which most silver NPs are transformed to silver sulfide NPs (Ag2S-NPs) before being applied to agricultural soils within biosolids. While Ag2S-NPs are assumed to be biologically inert, nothing is known of their effects on terrestrial plants. The phytotoxicity of Ag and its accumulation was examined in short-term (24 h) and longer-term (2-week) solution culture experiments with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) exposed to Ag2S-NPs (0-20 mg Ag L(-1)), metallic Ag-NPs (0-1.6 mg Ag L(-1)), or ionic Ag (AgNO3; 0-0.086 mg Ag L(-1)). Although not inducing any effects during 24-h exposure, Ag2S-NPs reduced growth by up to 52% over a 2-week period. This toxicity did not result from their dissolution and release of toxic Ag(+) in the rooting medium, with soluble Ag concentrations remaining below 0.001 mg Ag L(-1). Rather, Ag accumulated as Ag2S in the root and shoot tissues when plants were exposed to Ag2S-NPs, consistent with their direct uptake. Importantly, this differed from the form of Ag present in tissues of plants exposed to AgNO3. For the first time, our findings have shown that Ag2S-NPs exert toxic effects through their direct accumulation in terrestrial plant tissues. These findings need to be considered to ensure high yield of food crops, and to avoid increasing Ag in the food chain.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
cowpea growth was reduced by Ag2S-NPs by up to 52% after two weeks.
- Taxon
- cowpea
Vigna unguiculatae0 - Treatment
- Ag2S-NPse1
- Outcome
- growthe1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- up to 52%e1
- Qualifier
- over a 2-week periode1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“Although not inducing any effects during 24-h exposure, Ag2S-NPs reduced growth by up to 52% over a 2-week period.”
Claim · model-written summary
wheat growth was reduced by Ag2S-NPs by up to 52% after two weeks.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume0 - Treatment
- Ag2S-NPse1
- Outcome
- growthe1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- up to 52%e1
- Qualifier
- over a 2-week periode1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“Although not inducing any effects during 24-h exposure, Ag2S-NPs reduced growth by up to 52% over a 2-week period.”
Claim · model-written summary
cowpea showed no detected growth effect during 24-hour Ag2S-NP exposure.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Treatment
- Ag2S-NPse1
- Outcome
- effectse1
- Direction
- not inducinge1
- Qualifier
- 24-h exposuree1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“Although not inducing any effects during 24-h exposure, Ag2S-NPs reduced growth by up to 52% over a 2-week period.”
Claim · model-written summary
wheat showed no detected growth effect during 24-hour Ag2S-NP exposure.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Treatment
- Ag2S-NPse1
- Outcome
- effectse1
- Direction
- not inducinge1
- Qualifier
- 24-h exposuree1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“Although not inducing any effects during 24-h exposure, Ag2S-NPs reduced growth by up to 52% over a 2-week period.”
Claim · model-written summary
cowpea accumulated Ag as Ag2S in root and shoot tissue following Ag2S-NP exposure.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Organ / stage
- root and shoot tissuese1
- Treatment
- Ag2S-NPse1
- Outcome
- Ag accumulated as Ag2Se1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“Ag accumulated as Ag2S in the root and shoot tissues when plants were exposed to Ag2S-NPs, consistent with their direct uptake.”
Claim · model-written summary
wheat accumulated Ag as Ag2S in root and shoot tissue following Ag2S-NP exposure.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Organ / stage
- root and shoot tissuese1
- Treatment
- Ag2S-NPse1
- Outcome
- Ag accumulated as Ag2Se1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“Ag accumulated as Ag2S in the root and shoot tissues when plants were exposed to Ag2S-NPs, consistent with their direct uptake.”
Claim · model-written summary
Ag2S-NP toxicity did not result from dissolution to soluble Ag in the rooting medium.
- Taxon
- cowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Outcome
- This toxicitye1
- Value
- below 0.001 mg Ag L(-1)e1
- Qualifier
- did not result from their dissolution and release of toxic Ag(+)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“This toxicity did not result from their dissolution and release of toxic Ag(+) in the rooting medium, with soluble Ag concentrations remaining below 0.001 mg Ag L(-1).”
Claim · model-written summary
The form of Ag in plant tissue following Ag2S-NP exposure differed from exposure to AgNO3.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Outcome
- form of Ag present in tissuese1
- Comparator
- AgNO3e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”
e1“Importantly, this differed from the form of Ag present in tissues of plants exposed to AgNO3.”
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See all 168 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.