This paper employs a specially designed aggregation-induced emission fluorogen (AIEgen) to in vivo visualize the process of Hg2+ bioaccumulation in a common species of freshwater zooplankton Daphnia carinata (D. carinata) by two methods, direct Hg2+ absorption and ingestion of Hg2+ contaminated food. We analysed the relevance between photoluminescence (PL, I595 /I480 ) ratios and Hg2+ (CHg2+ ) and developed the master curve for Hg2+ determination based on measuring the PL intensity of the solution. Meanwhile, fluorescent image analysis showed that the major recipient organs of Hg2+ in D. carinata were the compound eyes and carapace, followed by the intestine and shell gland, but not the brain or heart. The response of D. carinata to Hg2+ via uptake from surrounding water differed distinctly from that through food intake of the algae (Euglena gracilis) contaminated by mercury. When Hg2+ was encapsulated by algae membrane, no fluorescence was detected, and the carapace morphology remained intact after ingesting algae for 80 min, in contrast to the rapid carapace deformation by direct Hg2+ absorption. The D. carinata showed higher mortality by direct Hg2+ immersion than via food ingestion. The reason for the high mortality after Hg2+ immersion was possibly due to carapace deformity after chemical reaction between chitin and mercury, but the biochemical pathway leading to morality needs further study.
Keywords: Daphnia carinata; aggregation-induced emission fluorogen; bioaccumulation; biological activity; mercury.
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