Investigation of the acute toxicity of commercial nanoparticles on green-algae p. subcapitata

Nanotechnology deals with nanoparticles (NPs), which is in the range of 1 to 100 nm, to understand theirnovel properties, to increase their controllability and to improve the processes using this technology. Metal oxide NPs are being used in manyproducts; from paint industry to military, and from pharmaceutical industry to automotive industry. The contributions of NP production and their economical value globally increase.However, the adverse effects of NPs on human and environmental health remain questionable. European Union and many other international environmental organizations have started legislative actions on NPs. In the meantime, although the research on the effects of NPs on human and environmental health has still been carried out, the possible effects have not been determined, yet. In this thesis, the ecotoxic effects of TiO2, CuO and ZnO metal oxide NPs with different concentrations (1- 500 mg/L) dispersed (mixing, probe sonication and bath sonication) in synthetic surface water samples with different water quality parameters (Soft- very hard, low- high alkalinity, pH 6,5-8,5) on green algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata under ambient conditions were investigated. Within the scope of end point analyses, algal inhibition, cell membrane deformation, cellular respiration activity and morphological examination were conducted. Effect Concentration (EC50) values from each NP were calculated using dose- response results, and the effective metal oxide NP causing acute toxicity on algae was determined.