TOXICOLOGICAL STUDY OF COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLES (CuONPs) AGAINST A TERRESTRIAL GASTROPOD, THE SNAIL HELIX ASPERSA: MORPHOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL “ANALYSIS” AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

Abstract

Chemical contamination of terrestrial ecosystems poses a significant threat as these environments accumulate pollutants from human activities, such as pesticides and heavy metal nanoparticles. Terrestrial gastropods are sentinel organisms considered to be excellent biomonitoring tools for environmental pollution, as they are able to absorb and accumulate chemical substances in their tissues. The aim of the current study was to assess the potential hazards of nanoparticulate copper oxide (NPs-CuO) following chronic exposure on the bioindicator species Helix aspersa. The organisms were topically treated for 28 days with concentrations of 1000 and 1500 µg/mL. The effect of NPs-CuO was investigated on morphometric and histopathological alterations and measurements of selected biomarkers. The results showed a physiological disturbances in the weight and shell diameter of treated snails. The compound also induced histopathological changes in the digestive gland of H. aspersa. Furthermore, an induction of catalase and GST activities were observed in the hepatopancreas, constituting a cellular defense against the presence of NPs-CuO in the hepatopancreas. These results highlight the potential adverse effects of NPs-CuO on non-target organisms and their utility as reliable bioindicators for assessing nano-ecotoxicological impacts.