Heavy Metal Ions on Titanium Dioxide Nano-Particle: Biomagnification in an Experimental Aquatic Food Chain

Abstract

Heavy metal metals are non-biodegradable, have a remarkable ability to transfer through food chains and are potentially toxic for organisms.They are introduced tomarine environment via different anthropogenic sources. In this study, the ability of titanium dioxide nano-particle in transfer of Cr, Cu, Pb and Se metal through an aquatic food chain involving Ceratium tripos as the phytoplankton Daphnia hyaline as the zooplankton and Liza abu as the fish was investigated. The phytoplankton specie Ceratium tripos was exposed to 0, 0.2 and 0.5 of TiO₂. Subsequently, each species was fed to the zooplankton Daphnia hyaline, which was then used as food for the fish Liza abu. There were significant differences between the level of Cr, Pb and Se among the groups. The results showed that Cr and Se are biomagnified through the food chain. Whereas, Cu, which is essential element and could be regulated by organisms body, and Pb were not biomagnified through the chain. <strong> </strong>