Brittany Perrotta

We are proud to present Brittany Perrotta as our next Baylor University WISE Graduate Student Seminar Speaker. Brittany is a PhD Candidate working with Dr. Ryan King in the Department of Biology here at Baylor University. Her talk is entitled “Nanoparticles and animal pee: Nanoparticles may contribute to freshwater algal blooms by increasing nutrient excretion rates of primary consumers.”

Summary: Freshwater ecosystems are exposed to engineered nanoparticles (very small, metallic particles) through wastewater discharge and agricultural runoff. Once in the freshwater ecosystems, nanoparticles interact with a variety of compounds including excess nitrogen and phosphorus. Movement of nanoparticles through ecosystems result in particles being ingested by primary consumers. We examined nitrogen and phosphorus excretion rates in freshwater snails after a chronic exposure of copper and gold nanoparticles at two different nutrient concentrations in outdoor wetland mesocosms (constructed experimental ecosystems). Results indicate that the presence of nanoparticles double the rate of nutrient excretion, which has implications for freshwater algal blooms.