The Metal Oxidation State in Cu, CuO, and Cu<sub>2</sub>O Nanoparticles Plays a Key Role in Toxicity to Sea Urchin <i>Arbacia lixula</i>, <i>Paracentrotus lividus,</i> and <i>Sphaerechinus granularis</i> Embryos
Copper-based nanoparticles (as Cu<sub>2</sub>O) are a key component in marine antifouling paints and, as coatings degrade, release nanoparticles that can affect a wide range of non-target organisms. This study investigates the impact of Cu<sub>2</sub>O nanoparticles on the ea...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/13/6/469 |
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| Summary: | Copper-based nanoparticles (as Cu<sub>2</sub>O) are a key component in marine antifouling paints and, as coatings degrade, release nanoparticles that can affect a wide range of non-target organisms. This study investigates the impact of Cu<sub>2</sub>O nanoparticles on the early development of urchins <i>Arbacia lixula</i>, <i>Paracentrotus lividus</i> and <i>Sphaerechinus granularis</i>, and benchmarks their toxicity against similarly sized Cu and CuO nanoparticles and ionic copper. Concentration-dependent toxicity was noted for all forms of copper at concentrations in the 1 to 5000 µg L<sup>−1</sup> range. EC<sub>50</sub> values after Cu<sub>2</sub>O exposure indicated that <i>A. lixula</i> (99 µg L<sup>−1</sup>) was generally more sensitive than the other two species, with EC<sub>50</sub> values of 371 µg L<sup>−1</sup> and 606 µg L<sup>−1</sup> noted for <i>S. granularis</i> and <i>P. lividus</i>, respectively. The same trend across species was noted for both Cu and CuO, although these nanoparticles generally showed higher EC<sub>50</sub> values, indicating lower toxicity compared to Cu<sub>2</sub>O. LC<sub>50</sub> values qualitatively parallel the corresponding EC<sub>50</sub> values, with Cu<sub>2</sub>O consistently the most toxic, while Cu was less harmful, and CuO did not reach LC<sub>50</sub> at any concentration. Again, greatest lethality was noted in <i>A. lixula</i>. While copper ion release from Cu was much greater than from CuO and Cu<sub>2</sub>O, the latter showed similar or greater toxicity to developing embryos compared to Cu. This indicates that copper ions are not the sole driver of toxicity of Cu<sub>2</sub>O, but there may also be a contribution derived from Cu<sub>2</sub>O redox activity within cells or at membranes that negatively impact oxidative stress defence mechanisms and metabolic pathways. |
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| ISSN: | 2305-6304 |