Suitability of a Cellulose-Based Nanomaterial for the Remediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Freshwaters: A Case-Study Showing the Recovery of Cadmium Induced DNA Integrity Loss, Cell Proliferation Increase, Nuclear Morphology and Chromosomal Alterations on <i>Dreissena polymorpha</i>
Patrizia Guidi,
Margherita Bernardeschi,
Mara Palumbo,
Massimo Genovese,
Vittoria Scarcelli,
Andrea Fiorati,
Laura Riva,
Carlo Punta,
Ilaria Corsi,
Giada Frenzilli
Affiliations
Patrizia Guidi
Section of Applied Biology and Genetics and INSTM Local Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Margherita Bernardeschi
Section of Applied Biology and Genetics and INSTM Local Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Mara Palumbo
Section of Applied Biology and Genetics and INSTM Local Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Massimo Genovese
Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
Vittoria Scarcelli
Section of Applied Biology and Genetics and INSTM Local Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Andrea Fiorati
Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta” and INSTM Local Unit, Politecnico di Milano, 20131 Milano, Italy
Laura Riva
Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta” and INSTM Local Unit, Politecnico di Milano, 20131 Milano, Italy
Carlo Punta
Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta” and INSTM Local Unit, Politecnico di Milano, 20131 Milano, Italy
Ilaria Corsi
Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences and INSTM Local Unit, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
Giada Frenzilli
Section of Applied Biology and Genetics and INSTM Local Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
The contamination of freshwaters by heavy metals represents a great problem, posing a threat for human and environmental health. Cadmium is classified as carcinogen to humans and its mechanism of carcinogenicity includes genotoxic events. In this study a recently developed eco-friendly cellulose-based nanosponge (CNS) was investigated as a candidate in freshwater nano-remediation process. For this purpose, CdCl2 (0.05 mg L−1) contaminated artificial freshwater (AFW) was treated with CNS (1.25 g L−1 for 2 h), and cellular responses were analyzed before and after CNS treatment in Dreissena polymorpha hemocytes. A control group (AFW) and a negative control group (CNS in AFW) were also tested. DNA primary damage was evaluated by Comet assay while chromosomal damage and cell proliferation were assessed by Cytome assay. AFW exposed to CNS did not cause any genotoxic effect in zebra mussel hemocytes. Moreover, DNA damage and cell proliferation induced by Cd(II) turned down to control level after 2 days when CNS were used. A reduction of Cd(II)-induced micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities was also observed. CNS was thus found to be a safe and effective candidate in cadmium remediation process being efficient in metal sequestering, restoring cellular damage exerted by Cd(II) exposure, without altering cellular physiological activity.