Assessing lead toxicity in the clam Ruditapes philippinarum: Bioaccumulation and biochemical responses.

Lead (Pb) is a non-essential metal. Its occurrence in the environment is related principally to anthropogenic contamination. Pb is toxic to aquatic organisms and can provoke damage to membranes and inhibit the activity of essential enzymes.

Synthesis methods influence characteristics, behaviour and toxicity of bare CuO NPs compared to bulk CuO and ionic Cu after in vitro exposure of Ruditapes philippinarum hemocytes.

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly investigated, developed and produced for a wide range of industrial and consumer products. Notwithstanding their promising novel applications, concern has been raised that their increased use and disposal could consequently increase their release into marine systems and potentially affect species within. To date the understanding of factors and mechanisms of CuO (nano-) toxicity to marine invertebrates is still limited.

Validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR in marine bivalve ecotoxicology: Systematic review and case study using copper treated primary Ruditapes philippinarum hemocytes.

The appropriate selection of reference genes for the normalization of non-biological variance in reverse transcription real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is essential for the accurate interpretation of the collected data. The use of multiple validated reference genes has been shown to substantially increase the robustness of the normalization. It is therefore considered good practice to validate putative genes under specific conditions, determine the optimal number of genes to be employed, and report the method or methods used.

Citrate gold nanoparticle exposure in the marine bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum: uptake, elimination and oxidative stress response.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are considered an important nano-sized component of the twenty-first century. Due to their unique physical and chemical properties, they are being used and developed for a wide range of promising applications in medicine, biology and chemistry. Notwithstanding their useful aspects, in recent years concern has been raised over their ability to enter cells, organelles and nuclei and provoke oxidative stress.