MORTALITY RATES ACROSS DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES OF DAPHNIA MAGNA EXPOSED TO VARYING NANOSILVER CONCENTRATIONS

Nanosilver, widely utilized for its antimicrobial properties, poses potential risks to freshwater ecosystems due to its increasing environmental presence.Daphnia magna play a critical role in maintaining the balance of these freshwater ecosystems.This study evaluated the lethality and dose-response relationships of nanosilver on neonate, juvenile, and adult life stages of Daphnia magna.Daphnia were exposed to nanosilver concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 25 g/L for a study period of 36 hours.Live and dead Daphnia were identified from each test concentration at designated time intervals.Daphnia mortality rates were higher at nanosilver 25 g/L concentration across all life stages.Nanosilver 5 g/L and 10 g/L concentrations yielded similar responses at each life stage as exposure duration increased.Mortality rates were similar for juveniles and adults, and higher for neonates, regardless of nanosilver concentration, but most notable at nanosilver 25 g/L.At 24 hours, the Lethal Concentration 50% (LC50) of nanosilver to Daphnia neonates approached 20 g/L, and at 36h, nanosilver LC50 was 5 g/L and 25 g/L for neonates and juveniles, respectively.While larger sample sizes and extended study is needed to determine what concentration of nanosilver would be Mortality Rates Across Different Life Stages of Daphnia Magna Exposed to Varying Nanosilver Concentrations https://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJBS 15