Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of freshwater biofilms stabilize and modify CeO2 and Ag nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: Streams are potential receiving compartments for engineered nanoparticles (NP). In streams, NP may remain dispersed or settle to the benthic compartment. Both dispersed and settling NP can accumulate in benthic biofilms called periphyton that are essential to stream ecosystems. Periphytic organisms excrete extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that interact with any material reaching the biofilms. To understand the interaction of NP with periphyton it is therefore crucial to study the interaction of NP with EPS. We investigated the influence of EPS on the physicochemical properties of selected NP (CeO2, Ag) under controlled conditions at pH 6, 7.6, 8.6 and light or dark exposure. We extracted EPS from five different periphyton communities, characterized the extracts, and exposed CeO2 an

SUBMITTER: Kroll A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4204993 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature