Abstract
Materials of nano-range are ranked as the sixth most emerging pollutant which are reaching the aqueous ecosystem and causing harm to the inhabiting organisms. Nanomaterials of zinc oxide are applied in wide range of applications. However, the toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on fresh water mollusc Pila virens is scarce. The median lethal concentration of ZnONPs on P. virens for 96 h was found to be 180.49 µg/L. In the present study P. virens were treated with sublethal concentration of 135 μg/L of ZnONPs for 24 and 96 h respectively. The reactive oxygen species, protein carbonyl and lipid peroxidation levels were increased in P. virens treated with 135 μg/L of ZnONPs in comparision to their control values at two different time intervals (24 and 96 h). Moreover, the glutathione sulfotransferase and glutathione peroxidase activity in P.virens exposed to 135 μg/L of ZnO NPs for 24 and 96 h were found to decrease when compared to their control values. An in silico approach was also taken to understand the loss of GST activity wherein the target protein was modelled and found to strongly bind with ZnONPs at its active site when subject to molecular docking. The current study affirms that P. virens are relevant invertebrate biomonitor to evaluate the nanoparticles toxicity.
