REAL

Commercial photocatalyst changes the behavior of Formica pratensis and Formica polyctena

Czekes, Zsolt and Bai, Dóra and Vincze, Judit and Gál, Emese and Réthi-Nagy, Zsuzsánna and Baia, Lucian and Pap, Zsolt (2023) Commercial photocatalyst changes the behavior of Formica pratensis and Formica polyctena. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 10 (1). pp. 72-79. ISSN 2051-8153

[img]
Preview
Text
d1en01119g.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial.

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Nanosized materials are currently applied nearly everywhere and nanotechnology is part of our everyday lives. For important challenges such as those relating to clean air, water and energy, semiconductive nanoparticles show the most promising solutions. TiO2 is among those semiconductors which are widely applied and studied in water purification processes by photocatalysis. Despite its abundant applications, its ecotoxicological investigations are relatively rare and none of these address insect behaviour. Therefore, in the present study the impact of a well-known commercial TiO2 (Evonik Aeroxide P25) on the interspecific behaviour of two territorial ant species (Formica polyctena and Formica pratensis) was investigated. Changes in the behaviour of the ants were observed using aggressivity assays. We found that the results of these tests can be linked to the changes observed in the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile of the ants, as the applied semiconductor demonstrated its photocatalytic activity and oxidized the hydrocarbons to corresponding alcohols, aldehydes and carboxylic acids, altering the CHC profile, and thus interfering with species recognition. The results are relevant in terms of the potential uses of nanoparticles in more technologies. A significant proportion of these nanoparticles are photoactive materials and can interact with insects using chemical communication channels (e.g. ants and possibly bees).

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding Agency and Grant Number: [PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2019-1318]; [35276/18.11.2020] Funding text: The authors would like to express their gratitude for the financial support provided by the PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2019-1318 and GTC Nr. 35276/18.11.2020 projects and the Bolyai Janos research scholarship is also thanked for supporting this research
Uncontrolled Keywords: Degradation; Toxicity; Pesticides; Nanoparticles; TiO2; Titanium; Ants; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Environmental Sciences; Heavy-Metal Pollution;
Subjects: Q Science / természettudomány > QH Natural history / természetrajz > QH301 Biology / biológia > QH3015 Molecular biology / molekuláris biológia
SWORD Depositor: MTMT SWORD
Depositing User: MTMT SWORD
Date Deposited: 25 Sep 2023 09:10
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2023 09:10
URI: http://real.mtak.hu/id/eprint/174751

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item