Effect of Probiotic on Copper Nanoparticle Accumulation in Dreissena polymorpha

Materials with dimensions between 0.1 and 100 nm are called nanoparticle (NP) materials. In recent years, the usage areas and quantities of NP materials have increased in parallel with the development of the industry. The need and usage areas of heavy metals such as Cu have also expanded in NP sizes. All these developments have led to problems on the ecosystem that are becoming more difficult to compensate. In this study, Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) was chosen as a model to investigate the effect of probiotics on CuNP heavy metal accumulation. The model organism was exposed to three different concentrations of CuNP (5, 10, 50 mg/L) with probiotics and directly for 24 and 96 hours. CuNP accumulation amounts in D. polymorpha tissues treated directly and with probiotics were compared. The amount of accumulation in the test organism directly exposed to CuNP was higher compared to the groups administered with probiotics, but a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was found only in the treatment group with the highest 24-hour concentration (50 mg/L). As a result, according to the findings obtained from the study, it has been determined that probiotics have positive developmental effects on aquatic organisms, as well as beneficial in the elimination of their accumulation in the organism.