Silver Nanoparticles an Accumulative Hazard in Silkworm: Bombyx mori

To evaluate the lethal effects of silver nanoparticles on silkworm Bombyx mori, Morus alba (mulberry) leaf extract was used to synthesize bio-nanoparticles. Hence B. mori was a monophagous insect; the exact level toxicity can be evidenced through its own feed. Characterization of the nanoparticles was done by UV-Vis, FTIR spectroscopy and SEM. UV-Vis Spectroscopy illustrated the presence of silver nanoparticles at 422 nm. FTIR spectroscopy enabled the size of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles, ranging from 45 nm to 166 nm. SEM visualized the ranging particles with EDX value. The fifth instar larvae were dosed with silver nanoparticles at varying concentrations (1, 10 and 100 ppm). Observations revealed maximum larval weight was in 1ppm treatment, pupal weight was maximum in 100ppm. Also the cocoon weight and shell weight were moderately high in all the treated doses, when compared control. But there was lack of during larval pupal transition and pupal adult transition which lead to the high mortality rate at 100ppm and moderate mortality rate at 10ppm. The protein profile of treated hemolymph envisioned the expression of a 20 kDa protein, it was subjected to MALDI-TOF analysis and identified as Glutathione- S-transferase.