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Haider I, Ali MA, Sanaullah M, Ahmed N, Hussain S, Shakeel MT, Naqvi SAH, Dar JS, Moustafa M, Alshaharni MO. Unlocking the secrets of soil microbes: How decades-long contamination and heavy metals accumulation from sewage water and industrial effluents shape soil biological health. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 342:140193. [PMID: 37722537 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals contamination is posing severe threat to the soil health and environmental sustainability. Application of industrial and sewage waste as irrigation and growing urbanization and agricultural industry is the main reason for heavy metals pollution. Therefore, the present study was planned to assess the influence of different irrigation sources such as industrial effluents, sewage wastewater, tube well water, and canal water on the soil physio-chemical, soil biological, and enzymatic characteristics. Results showed that sewage waste and industrial effluents affect the soil pH, organic matter, total organic carbon, and cation exchange capacity. The highest total nickel (383.71 mg kg-1), lead (312.46 mg kg-1), cadmium (147.75 mg kg-1), and chromium (163.64 mg kg-1) were recorded with industrial effluents application. Whereas, industrial effluent greatly reduced the soil microbial biomass carbon (SMB-C), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMB-N), soil microbial biomass phosphorus (SMB-P), and soil microbial biomass sulphur (SMB-S) in the winter season at sowing time. Industrial effluent and sewage waste inhibited the soil enzymes activities. For instance, the minimum activity of amidase, urease, alkaline-phosphatase, β-glucosidase, arylsulphatase and dehydrogenase activity was noted with HMs contamination. The higher levels of metals accumulation was observed in vegetables grown in soil contaminated with untreated waste water and industrial effluent in comparison to soil irrigated with canal and tube well water. The mean increase in soil microbial parameters and enzyme activities was also observed in response to the change in season from winter to spring due to increase in soil mean temperature. The SMB-C, SMB-N, SMB-P and SMB-S showed significant positive correlation with soil enzymes (amidase, urease, alkaline-phosphatase, β-glucosidase, arylsulphatase and dehydrogenase). The heavy metals accumulation in soil is toxic to microorganisms and inhibits enzyme functions critical for nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition and can disrupt the delicate balance of soil ecosystem and may lead to long-term damage of soil biological health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idrees Haider
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Arif Ali
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan; Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Sanaullah
- Institute of Soil Science, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Niaz Ahmed
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Sajjad Hussain
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Taimoor Shakeel
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Syed Atif Hasan Naqvi
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.
| | - Javeed Shabbir Dar
- Department of Agronomy Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Agricultural College Dokri, Larkana, Pakistan
| | - Mahmoud Moustafa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed O Alshaharni
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
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Purchase D, Abbasi G, Bisschop L, Chatterjee D, Ekberg C, Ermolin M, Fedotov P, Garelick H, Isimekhai K, Kandile NG, Lundström M, Matharu A, Miller BW, Pineda A, Popoola OE, Retegan T, Ruedel H, Serpe A, Sheva Y, Surati KR, Walsh F, Wilson BP, Wong MH. Global occurrence, chemical properties, and ecological impacts of e-wastes (IUPAC Technical Report). PURE APPL CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/pac-2019-0502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
The waste stream of obsolete electronic equipment grows exponentially, creating a worldwide pollution and resource problem. Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) comprises a heterogeneous mix of glass, plastics (including flame retardants and other additives), metals (including rare Earth elements), and metalloids. The e-waste issue is complex and multi-faceted. In examining the different aspects of e-waste, informal recycling in developing countries has been identified as a primary concern, due to widespread illegal shipments; weak environmental, as well as health and safety, regulations; lack of technology; and inadequate waste treatment structure. For example, Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan, and China have all been identified as hotspots for the disposal of e-waste. This article presents a critical examination on the chemical nature of e-waste and the resulting environmental impacts on, for example, microbial biodiversity, flora, and fauna in e-waste recycling sites around the world. It highlights the different types of risk assessment approaches required when evaluating the ecological impact of e-waste. Additionally, it presents examples of chemistry playing a role in potential solutions. The information presented here will be informative to relevant stakeholders seeking to devise integrated management strategies to tackle this global environmental concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Purchase
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology , Middlesex University , The Burroughs , London NW4 4BT , UK
| | | | - Lieselot Bisschop
- Erasmus Initiative on Dynamics of Inclusive Prosperity & Erasmus School of Law , Erasmus University Rotterdam , P.O. Box 1738 – 3000 DR , Rotterdam , Netherlands
| | - Debashish Chatterjee
- Faculty of Analytical Chemistry , University of Kalyani , Kalyani , Nadia , 741235 , India
| | - Christian Ekberg
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nuclear Chemistry and Industrial Materials Recycling , Chalmers University of Technology , SE-41296 , Göteborg , Sweden
| | - Mikhail Ermolin
- National University of Science and Technology “MISiS” , 4 Leninsky Prospect , Moscow , 119049 , Russia
| | - Petr Fedotov
- V.I. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry , Russian Academy of Sciences , 19 Kosygin Street , Moscow , 119991 , Russia
| | - Hemda Garelick
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology , Middlesex University , The Burroughs , London NW4 4BT , UK
| | - Khadijah Isimekhai
- Ateda Ventures Limited , P.P. Box 13394 , Benin City , Edo State , Nigeria
| | - Nadia G. Kandile
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Women , Ain Shams University , Heliopolis , 11757 , Cairo , Egypt
| | - Mari Lundström
- Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (CMET), School of Chemical Engineering , Aalto University , P.O. Box 16200 , AALTO , Finland
| | - Avtar Matharu
- Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, Department of Chemistry , University of York , York , YO10 5DD , UK
| | | | - Antonio Pineda
- Departamento de Química Orgánica , Universidad de Córdoba, Edificio Marie Curie (C-3), Ctra Nnal IVa, Km 396 , Córdoba , E-14014 , Spain
| | - Oluseun E. Popoola
- Department of Chemical Science , Yaba College of Technology , Lagos , Nigeria
| | - Teodora Retegan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nuclear Chemistry and Industrial Materials Recycling , Chalmers University of Technology , SE-41296 , Göteborg , Sweden
| | - Heinz Ruedel
- Department Environmental Specimen Bank and Elemental Analysis , Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (Fraunhofer IME) , Schmallenberg , 57392 , Germany
| | - Angela Serpe
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture (DICAAR) and INSTM Unit , University of Cagliari and Environmental Geology and Geoengineering Institute of the National Research Council (IGAG-CNR) , Via Marengo 2 , Cagliari , 09123 , Italy
| | | | - Kiran R. Surati
- Department of Chemistry , Sardar Patel University , Vallabh Vidyanagar , Anand , Gujarat , 388120 , India
| | - Fiona Walsh
- Maynooth University , Maynooth , Co Kildare , Ireland
| | - Benjamin P. Wilson
- Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (CMET), School of Chemical Engineering , Aalto University , P.O. Box 16200 , AALTO , Finland
| | - Ming Hung Wong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control and State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control , Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong , Tai Po , Hong Kong , China
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3
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Wu Z, Gao G, Wang Y. Effects of soil properties, heavy metals, and PBDEs on microbial community of e-waste contaminated soil. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 180:705-714. [PMID: 31151067 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous pollutants at electronic waste (e-waste) contaminated sites, their individual impacts on soil microbial community has attracted wide attention, however, limited research is available on the combined effects of heavy metals and PBDEs on microbial community of e-waste contaminated. Therefore, combined effects of heavy metals and PBDEs on the microbial community in the e-waste contaminated soil were investigated in this study. Samples were collected from Ziya e-waste recycling area in Tianjin, northern China, and the soil microbial communities were then analyzed by the high-throughput MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing to assess the effects of soil properties, heavy metals, and PBDEs on the soil microbial community. Candidatus Nitrososphaera, Steroidobacter and Kaistobacter were the dominant microbial species in the soils. Similar microbial metabolic functions, including amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and membrane transport, were found in all soil samples. Redundancy analysis and variation partition analysis revealed that the microbial community was mainly influenced by PBDEs (including BDE 183, BDE 99, BDE 100 and BDE 154) in horizontal soil samples. However, TN, biomass, BDE 100, BDE 99 and BDE 66 were the major drivers shaping the microbial community in vertical soil samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhineng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Xinxiang Medical University, School of Public Health, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Guanghai Gao
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China; State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, China.
| | - Yingying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
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Wu Q, Du Y, Huang Z, Gu J, Leung JYS, Mai B, Xiao T, Liu W, Fu J. Vertical profile of soil/sediment pollution and microbial community change by e-waste recycling operation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 669:1001-1010. [PMID: 30970449 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The present study aims to assess the effect of electronic waste (e-waste) recycling on microbial community and the underlying modulation mechanism. Core soil/sediment samples were collected from an abandoned e-waste burning site and neighboring farmland/stream sites in Guiyu, China. High concentrations and health risks of toxic heavy metals, particularly, Sb and Sn, and halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), including decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 209) and decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) were mostly retained at the top surface layers of soils/sediments (0-30cm) after more than one year of natural vertical diffusion and microbe-facilitated biodegradation. Heavy metals, such as Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Sn, played a critical role for the reduction of microbial diversity. This is the first study reporting the open burning of e-waste caused an obvious heat effect and enriched thermophilic/mesophilic microbes in local area. The acid washing during e-waste recycling process may result in the enrichment of acidophilic microbes. This investigation showed that e-waste processing operation resulted in not only severe pollution of the soils/sediments by various pollutants, but also reduction of microbial diversity that was difficult to self-store by the local ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihang Wu
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yongming Du
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhuying Huang
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jidong Gu
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Toxicology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Jonathan Y S Leung
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bixian Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Tangfu Xiao
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wen Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jie Fu
- Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
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Zheng L, Li Y, Shang W, Dong X, Tang Q, Cheng H. The inhibitory effect of cadmium and/or mercury on soil enzyme activity, basal respiration, and microbial community structure in coal mine–affected agricultural soil. ANN MICROBIOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13213-019-01478-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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Xia X, Lin S, Zhao J, Zhang W, Lin K, Lu Q, Zhou B. Toxic responses of microorganisms to nickel exposure in farmland soil in the presence of earthworm (Eisenia fetida). CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 192:43-50. [PMID: 29091795 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.10.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 10/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Nickel (Ni)-contamination impairs soil ecosystem, threatening human health. A laboratory simulation of Ni-polluted farmland soil study, in the presence or absence of earthworm, was carried out to investigate the toxic responses of soil microorganisms, including microbial biomass C (MBC), soil basal respiration (SBR), metabolic quotient (qCO2), urease (UA) and dehydrogenase activities (DHA). Additionally, the variations of Ni bioavailability were also explored. Results manifested that MBC and SBR were stimulated at 50 and 100 mg·kg-1 of Ni but inhibited by further increasing Ni level, showing a Hormesis effect. Earthworm input delayed the occurrence of a maximum SBR inhibition rate under the combined double-factors of time and dose. No specific effect of Ni concentration on the qCO2 was observed. UA was significantly suppressed at 800 mg·kg-1 Ni (P < 0.05 or 0.01), whereas DHA was more sensitive and significantly inhibited throughout all the treatments (P < 0.01), indicating a pronounced dose-response relationship. The addition of earthworm facilitated all the biomarkers above. The time-dependent of dose-effect relationship (TDR) on MBC and SBR inhibition rates suggested that the peak responsiveness of microorganisms to Ni stress were approximate on the 21st day. The bioavailable form of per unit Ni concentration declined with time expanded and concentration increased, and the changeable process of the relative amount of bioavailability was mainly controlled by a physicochemical reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqian Xia
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Siyuan Lin
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Kuangfei Lin
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Qiang Lu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Bingsheng Zhou
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
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Jiang L, Cheng Z, Zhang D, Song M, Wang Y, Luo C, Yin H, Li J, Zhang G. The influence of e-waste recycling on the molecular ecological network of soil microbial communities in Pakistan and China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 231:173-181. [PMID: 28800486 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling releases large amounts of organic pollutants and heavy metals into the environment. As crucial moderators of geochemical cycling processes and pollutant remediation, soil microbes may be affected by these contaminants. We collected soil samples heavily contaminated by e-waste recycling in China and Pakistan, and analyzed the indigenous microbial communities. The results of this work revealed that the microbial community composition and diversity, at both whole and core community levels, were affected significantly by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals (e.g., Cu, Zn, and Pb). The geographical distance showed limited impacts on microbial communities compared with geochemical factors. The constructed ecological network of soil microbial communities illustrated microbial co-occurrence, competition and antagonism across soils, revealing the response of microbes to soil properties and pollutants. Two of the three main modules constructed with core operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were sensitive to nutrition (total organic carbon and total nitrogen) and pollutants. Five key OTUs assigned to Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Nitrospirae in ecological network were identified. This is the first study to report the effects of e-waste pollutants on soil microbial network, providing a deeper understanding of the ecological influence of crude e-waste recycling activities on soil ecological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longfei Jiang
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Zhineng Cheng
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Dayi Zhang
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Mengke Song
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yujie Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Chunling Luo
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Hua Yin
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jun Li
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Gan Zhang
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
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Extractive biodegradation of diphenyl ethers in a cloud point system: Pollutant bioavailability enhancement and surfactant recycling. BIOTECHNOL BIOPROC E 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s12257-017-0085-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Huang L, Wang W, Zhang S, Tang S, Zhao P, Ye Q. Bioaccumulation and bound-residue formation of 14C-decabromodiphenyl ether in an earthworm-soil system. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2017; 321:591-599. [PMID: 27694023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE) is one of the most frequently detected flame retardants in terrestrial environments. However, the fate of DecaBDE and its transport in an earthworm-soil system with and without a DecaBDE-degrading strain have rarely been evaluated. In this study, 14C-DecaBDE was self-synthesized, and a DBDE-degrading strain, Rhodococcus erythropolis, was used in an earthworm-soil system. DecaBDE showed limited degradation and mineralization after 35days of all treatments. The bound-residue (BR) formation in soil was <2.5% in the system containing earthworms, which was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that observed in the absence of earthworms (<0.45%). DecaBDE could be adsorbed by the earthworms with a BSAF of ≤0.31. The distribution of 14C-DecaBDE concentrations in the earthworm roughly followed the pattern of crop gizzard>digestive system>head>tail>body wall, suggesting that DecaBDE was mainly uptaken through ingestion. Up to 31% of the 14C-DecaBDE in the earthworms was not extractable, revealing that the total concentration of accumulated 14C-DecaBDE was underestimated. The results also showed that the presence of DecaBDE-degrading bacteria did not significantly affect the fate of DecaBDE and its accumulation in earthworms. The study indicates that the conventional assessment of the bioaccumulation and ecological effects of DecaBDE, which is based only on extractable concentrations, may underestimate the risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Huang
- Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China.
| | - Sufen Zhang
- Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Shenghua Tang
- Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Pengfei Zhao
- Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China
| | - Qingfu Ye
- Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China.
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