In parallel with the growing use of nanoparticle-containing products, their release into the environment over the coming years is expected to increase significantly. With many large population centers located in near-coastal areas, and increasing evidence that various nanoparticles may be toxic to a range of organisms, biota in estuarine and coastal waters may be particularly vulnerable. While size effects may be important in cases, silver nanoparticles have been found to be toxic in large part due to their release of silver ions. However, there is relatively little data available on how nanoparticle coatings can affect silver ion release in estuarine or marine waters. We have found that albumin, as a model for biocorona-forming macromolecules which nanoparticles may encounter in wastewater streams, stabilizes silver colloids from agglomeration in high salinity marine waters by electrosteric repulsion for long time periods. A minimum mass ratio of about 130 for albumin:silver nanoparticles (40 nm) was required for stable dispersion in seawater. Increasing albumin concentration was also found to reduce dissolution of nanoparticles in seawater with up to 3.3 times lower concentrations of silver ions noted. Persistent colloids and slow sustained ion release may have important consequences for biota in these environmental compartments.

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Commercially important bivalve Noah's Ark shell (Arca noae Linnaeus, 1758) represents a high-quality seafood product, but the data on levels of metal contaminants that could pose a human health risk and also on some essential elements that are important for health protection are lacking. This study examineds the concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Co, and Zn in the mg/kg wet weight. These levels were lower than the permissible limits for safe consummation of seafood, and only for Cd, some precautions should be taken into account if older shellfish were consumed. Increase of Cd, Cr, and Cu in shell tissue was observed during the tourist season at the site closest to the marine traffic routes, indicating that metal levels in shellfish tissue should be monitored especially carefully monitored during the peak tourist season, to prevent eventual toxic effects due to increased intake of metals, specifically of Cd.