Effect of Silver Nanoparticles on Aquatic Organisms

Silver nanoparticles are extensively used in the past few years. The presence of these silver nanoparticles concerns the risks they pose to the environment as a whole. Their tiny size and higher surface area make them a very potent threat in the aquatic ecosystem. The interactions and bioaccumulation in the aquatic ecosystem have led to disturbances in the food chain of the aquatic organism. The silver nanoparticles have caused biochemical, physiological, morphological, and neurological impairment in the aquatic organisms. There are several studies that not only report the direct impact of these AgNPs on the water bodies but also report the impact of ligand-bound AgNPs on aquatic invertebrates at different trophic levels and different medium. This literature review attempts to integrate recent findings on the impact of silver nanoparticles and associated studies on aquatic organisms.