Cutting-edge spectroscopy techniques highlight toxicity mechanisms of copper oxide nanoparticles in the aquatic plant Myriophyllum spicatum

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) have been increasingly released in aquatic ecosystems over the past decades as they are used many applications. Cu toxicity to different organisms has already highlighted literature, however mechanisms of nanoparticulate form remain unclear. Here, we investigated effect, transfer and localization CuO-NPs compared salt on plant Myriophyllum spicatum, an ecotoxicological model species with a pivotal role freshwater ecosystems, establish clear mode action. Plants were exposed 0.5 mg/L salt, 5 70 during 96 h 10 days. Several morphological physiological endpoints measured. was found more toxic than plants based all measured despite similar internal concentration demonstrated via mapping by micro particle-induced X-ray emission (μPIXE) coupled Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Biomacromolecule composition FTIR converged between treatments after This demonstrates that difference comes from sudden massive Cu2+ addition acute exposure, versus progressive leaching representing chronic exposure. Understanding NP can help future conception safer design NPs thus diminishing their impact both environment humans.