Our study aimed to investigate the impact of nano-zinc oxide (nZnO), a widely used pollutant in industry, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products, on the behavior and oxidative stress of freshwater mussels (Potomida littoralis) an indicator species and also a model non-target organism in ecotoxicology. To this end mussels were exposed to nZnO (50 and 100 µg/L) and Zn2+ from ZnSO4 (50 and 100 µg/L) for 7 days. ZnSO4 was used for comparison purposes and to determine if the toxicity of nZnO was due to the release of ions into the aquatic environment. We evaluated changes in oxidative stress markers, including catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, on the mussel gills and digestive glands. Additionally, the effect of nZnO on the filtration rate of bivalves was studied. The findings showed that the mussel tissue's different parameters were significantly affected by exposure to various concentrations of nZnO, causing changes in their behavior that led to a decrease in filtration rate. Additionally, noteworthy increments were observed in CAT activity, AChE activity, and MDA levels, whereas GST activity displayed a decreasing trend, implying that oxidative stress contributes to the toxicity of nZnO. The purpose of this review is to present a framework for comprehending the toxicological impacts of nanoparticles from an environmental standpoint. Additionally, it includes novel information about the connections between nanoparticles (NPs) and bivalve species.
Keywords: Biomarkers; Bivalve; Filtration rate; Oxidative status; ZnO naorods.