Biochemical responses of freshwater mussel Unio tumidus to titanium oxide nanoparticles, Bisphenol A, and their combination

The aim of the study was to evaluate the combined effect of two widespread xenobiotics, titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2) and bisphenol A (BPA), on freshwater bivalve Unio tumidus. The specimens were exposed for 14 days to TiCl4 (Ti, 1.25 µM), TiO2 (1.25 μM), BPA (0.88 nM), or their combination (TiO2+BPA). Every type of exposure resulted in a particular oxidative stress response: TiO2 had antioxidant effect, decreasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phenoloxidase (PhO) activity, and doubling reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration in the digestive gland; Ti caused oxidative changes by increasing levels of ROS, PhO and superoxide dismutase; BPA decreased the GSH level by a factor of two. In the co-exposure treatment, these indices as well as lysosomal membrane stability were not affected.