The effects of copper oxide nanoparticles enriched yeast on the growth performance, digestive enzymes activity and lipid metabolism in Artemia urmiana and Artemia franciscana

Increasing the application of copper oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in medicine (bactericidal agent) and other industries have raised serious concerns about ecotoxicology and ecophysiology effects on the aquatic animals. In this study¡ the effects of copper oxide NPs enriched yeast on the growth¡ survival; digestive enzymes activity and lipid metabolism in Artemia urmiana (AU) and Artemia franciscana (AF) were investigated. The experiment was designed in two treatments (non- enriched yeast as a control and enriched yeast with copper oxide NPs) and each with four replicates for both Artemia species. At the end of experiment¡ the results indicated that copper oxide NPs did not affect on the Artemia species growth rate but significantly increased both Artemia species survival. Also the results showed¡ copper oxide NPs did not affect on AU digestive enzymes activity¡ but significantly increased AF digestive enzymes activity. The effect of NPs on the body lipid content was investigated in Artemia species and the results revealed that copper oxide NPs significantly decrease AU lipid content but did not affect on AF. The results obtained in this experiment¡ suggest that the ecophysiological effects of copper oxide NPs different in Artemia urmiana and Artemia franciscana.