Sorption comparison between phenanthrene and its degradation intermediates, 9,10-phenanthrenequinone and 9-phenanthrol in soils/sediments

Environmental significance of PAH photoproduct formation: TiO2 nanoparticle influence, altered bioavailability, and potential photochemical mechanisms

Interactions between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) can produce unforeseen photoproducts in the aqueous phase. Both PAHs and TiO2-NPs are well-studied and highly persistent environmental pollutants, but the consequences of PAH-TiO2-NP interactions are rarely explored. We investigated PAH photoproduct formation over time for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), fluoranthene (FLT), and pyrene (PYR) in the presence of ultraviolet A (UVA) using a combination of analytical and computational methods including, identification of PAH photoproducts, assessment of expression profiles for gene indicators of PAH metabolism, and computational evaluation of the reaction mechanisms through which certain photoproducts might be formed. Chemical analyses identified diverse photoproducts, but all PAHs shared a primary photoproduct, 9,10-phenanthraquinone (9,10-PQ), regardless of TiO2-NP presence. The computed reaction mechanisms revealed the roles photodissociation and singlet oxygen chemistry likely play in PAH mediated photochemical processes that result in the congruent production of 9,10-PQ within this study. Our investigation of PAH photoproduct formation has provided substantial evidence of the many, diverse and congruent, photoproducts formed from physicochemically distinct PAHs and how TiO2-NPs influence bioavailability and time-related formation of PAH photoproducts.

Tea-based biochar-mediated changes in cation diffusion homeostasis in rice grown in heavy metal (loid) contaminated mining soil

Foreseeable future scenarios highlight the urgency of applying eco-safe avoidance methods or tolerance to heavy metal(loid) (HM) stress in agricultural production areas of contamination. The analyses show that the Ni, Mn, As, and Cr concentrations detected in the soils of the paddy fields in the Black Sea region vary between 123.60 and 263.30; 687-1271; 8.90-14.50; 162.00-340.00 mg kg-1 proving high accumulation of Ni, Mn, As, Cr in rice. Overconsumption of rice farmed extensively on these soils might also lead to human HM-related health problems. Therefore, in the current study, the approach of using tea-based biochar (BC) proven to have one of the most significant potentials as a soil amendment to reduce HM transmission to in-vitro-grown rice plants was investigated in the soil medium naturally contaminated with HMs. The tea-BC was produced from readily available local black tea waste of a conventional fermentation process and applied in the in-vitro experiments. Among the tested doses examined, 1% tea-BC showed a more positive effect on rice plant growth and development characterized by a better relative growth rate (59.7 and 84 mg g-1 d-1 for root and shoot tissues), photosynthetic pigment intactness (62.48 μg mL-1), cellular membrane integrity (93%), and relative water (96%) than the other rates (0% BC, 3%BC, 5%BC). The mRNA expression data highlights the probability of a cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) (OsMTP11) in concert with catalase isozyme (CATa) and dehydration-responsive element binding protein (DREB1a) linking the HM detoxification, oxidative defense, and dehydration pathways with the help of tea-BC. At the optimum concentration (1%BC), this approach might reduce HM accumulation levels of crops planted in HM-contaminated farmlands.

Transcriptome and Quasi-Targeted Metabolome Analyze Overexpression of 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase Alleviates Fungal Toxicity of 9-Phenanthrol in Magnaporthe oryzae

Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of rice blast disease, produces devastating damage to global rice production. It is urgent to explore novel strategies to overcome the losses caused by this disease. 9-phenanthrol is often used as a transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) channel inhibitor for animals, but we found its fungal toxicity to M. oryzae. Thus, we explored the antimicrobial mechanism through transcriptome and metabolome analyses. Moreover, we found that overexpression of a gene encoding 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase involved in the tyrosine degradative pathway enhanced the tolerance of 9-phenanthrol in M. oryzae. Thus, our results highlight the potential fungal toxicity mechanism of 9-phenanthrol at metabolic and transcriptomic levels and identify a gene involving 9-phenanthrol alleviation. Importantly, our results demonstrate the novel mechanism of 9-phenanthrol on fungal toxicity that will provide new insights of 9-phenanthrol for application on other organisms.

Bioavailability and preservation of organic phosphorus in lake sediments: Insights from enzymatic hydrolysis and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance

Bioavailability and preservation of organic P (P_o) in the sediment profiles (DC-1 and DC-2) from Lake Dianchi, a eutrophic lake in China, were investigated by a combination of enzymatic hydrolysis and solution ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Results showed that large of P_o could be extracted by NaOH-EDTA (NaOH-EDTA P_o), with little P_o in residues after extraction with NaOH-EDTA. Bioavailability and preservation of NaOH-EDTA P_o provide key information for biogeochemical cycling of P_o in sediments. The details of P species and their bioavailability in NaOH-EDTA P_o showed that 54.8-70.4% in DC-1 and 54.6-100% in DC-2, measured by ³¹P NMR, could be hydrolyzed by the phosphatase. Whereas, some proportion of NaOH-EDTA P_o could not be hydrolyzed by the phosphatase, and decreased with sediment depth. Interaction between P_o and other organic matter (e.g., humic acids) is likely an important factor for preservation of these P_o in the sediment profiles. Simulation experiments of hydrolysis of model P_o compounds adsorbed by minerals, such as goethite and montmorillonite, further indicated that adsorption to minerals protected some P_o, especially phytate-like P, from enzymatic hydrolysis, thus preserving these forms of P_o in sediments. Interactions of P_o with organic matter and minerals in the sediments are two important factors determining biogeochemical cycling of P_o in lakes. Intervention to break the cycle of FeP and bioavailable P_o (e.g., labile monoester P) in the history of eutrophication is important way to control algal blooming.

Cytotoxicity of Air Pollutant 9,10-Phenanthrenequinone: Role of Reactive Oxygen Species and Redox Signaling

Atmospheric pollution has been a principal topic recently in the scientific and political community due to its role and impact on human and ecological health. 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (9,10-PQ) is a quinone molecule found in air pollution abundantly in the diesel exhaust particles (DEP). This compound has studied extensively and has been shown to develop cytotoxic effects both in vitro and in vivo. 9, 10-PQ has been proposed to play a critical role in the development of cytotoxicity via generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through redox cycling. This compound also reduces expression of glutathione (GSH), which is critical in Phase II detoxification reactions. Understanding the underlying cellular mechanisms involved in cytotoxicity can allow for the development of therapeutics designed to target specific molecules significantly involved in the 9,10-PQ-induced ROS toxicity. This review highlights the developments in the understanding of the cytotoxic effects of 9, 10-PQ with special emphasis on the possible mechanisms involved.

Identifying structural characteristics of humic acid to static and dynamic fluorescence quenching of phenanthrene, 9-phenanthrol, and naphthalene

Fluorescence quenching is a sensitive and fast method to quantify the interactions between a fluorescent organic contaminant and a quencher, such as dissolved organic matter (DOM). Dynamic fluorescence quenching is resulted from molecular collision, not the real binding, and thus it complicates the binding data interpretation. On the other hand, static fluorescence quenching occurs for fluorescent contaminants of ground states, which decreases the concentration of freely dissolved contaminants. However, how a particular structure in DOM contributes to the static and dynamic fluorescence quenching of a fluorescent contaminant is still unclear, which has greatly hindered the application of fluorescence quenching technique. A humic acid (HA) extracted from sediment was chemically modified, i.e., bleaching, acid hydrolysis, and decarboxylation. HAs before and after these modifications were used in fluorescence quenching experiments for phenanthrene (PHE), 9-phenanthrol (PTR) and naphthalene (NAP). Different quenching mechanisms were observed for these chemicals depending on HA properties. For PHE and NAP, aromatic components showed static quenching, while carboxyl groups primarily showed dynamic quenching. Aromatic components and carbohydrates in HAs primarily bound (static quenching) rather than collided (dynamic quenching) with PTR. Carboxyl groups showed interactions with PTR through dynamic quenching only when carboxyl groups were on the benzene ring. Based on the results, we emphasized that dynamic quenching should be carefully excluded in fluorescence quenching studies. This line of study is important to establish a general relationship between DOM properties and static/dynamic quenching contributions.

Reactive mineral removal relative to soil organic matter heterogeneity and implications for organic contaminant sorption

Soil organic matter (SOM) is generally treated as a static compartment of soil in pollutant fate studies. However, SOM might be altered or fractionated in soil systems, and the details of SOM property/composition changes when coupled with contaminant behavior are unknown. In this study, a mild acid treatment was adopted to remove reactive minerals and partially remove SOM components. After acid treatment, biomarker signatures showed that lignin-derived phenols were released and black carbon (as suggested by benzene-polycarboxylic acids) and lipids were enriched. The biomarker information was consistent with common bulk chemical characterization. The sorption coefficient K_d for PHE was two times higher after acid treatment, whereas K_d for OFL was three times lower. The organic carbon normalized sorption coefficient K_OC values for PHE were higher for soils after acid treatment, indicating stronger interactions between PHE and SOM. The linear regression line between K_d and f_OC for OFL showed lower intercepts and slopes after reactive mineral removal, suggesting a decreased contribution of minerals and reduced dependence on SOM. These results were attributed to the release of polar compositions in SOM accompanied by reactive mineral removal. Our results suggest that the mobility of ionic organic contaminants increases, whereas that of hydrophobic organic contaminants decreases after acid treatment with respect to reactive mineral depletion. This study emphasized that new insights into the coupling of SOM dynamics should be incorporated into organic contaminant behavior studies. SOM molecular biomarkers offer a useful technique for correlating SOM composition and sorption property changes.

Contribution of hydrophobic effect to the sorption of phenanthrene, 9-phenanthrol and 9, 10-phenanthrenequinone on carbon nanotubes

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with diverse sources and acute toxicity, are categorized as priority pollutants. Previous studies have stated that the hydrophobic effect controls PAH sorption, but no study has been conducted to quantify the exact contribution of the hydrophobic effect. Considering the well-defined structure of carbon nanotubes and their stable chemical composition in organic solvents, three multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were selected as a model adsorbent. Phenanthrene (PHE) and its degradation intermediates 9-phenanthrol (PTR) and 9, 10-phenanthrenequinone (PQN) were used as model adsorbates. To quantify the contribution of the hydrophobic effect for these three chemicals, the effect of organic solvent (methanol and hexadecane) was investigated. Adsorption isotherms for PHE, PTR and PQN were well fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model. A positive relationship between adsorption affinities of these three chemicals and specific surface area (SSA) was observed in hexadecane but not in water or methanol. Other factors should be included other than SSA. Adsorption of PQN on MWCNTs with oxygen functional groups was higher than that on pristine MWCNTs due to π-π EDA interactions. The contribution of hydrophobic effect was 50%-85% for PHE, suggesting that hydrophobic effect was the predominant mechanism. This contribution was lower than 30% for PTR/PQN on functionalized MWCNTs. Hydrogen bonds control the adsorption of PTR, and π-π bonding interactions control PQN sorption after screening out the hydrophobic effect in hexadecane. Hydrophobic effect is the control mechanism for nonpolar chemicals, while functional groups of CNTs and solvent types control the adsorption of polar compounds. Extended work on quantifying the relationship between chemical structure and the contribution of the hydrophobic effect will provide a useful technique for PAH fate modeling.

Contribution of coated humic acids calculated through their surface coverage on nano iron oxides for ofloxacin and norfloxacin sorption

Sorption of organic contaminants on organo-mineral complexes has been investigated extensively, but the sorption contribution of mineral particles was not properly addressed before calculating KOC, especially for ionic organic contaminants. We measured the surface coverage of a humic acid (HA) on nano iron oxides (n-Fe2O3) in a series of synthesized organo-mineral complexes. The contribution of the coated HA to ofloxacin (OFL) and norfloxacin (NOR) sorption in HA-n-Fe2O3 complexes was over 80% of the total sorption with the surface coverage of 36% and fOC of 1.6%. All the coated HA showed higher sorption to NOR and OFL in comparison to the original HA, suggesting HA fractionation and/or physical re-conformation during organo-mineral complex formation. The decreased KOC with multilayer coating may suggest the importance of site-specific interactions for OFL sorption, while the increased KOC with multilayer coating may suggest the importance of partitioning in hydrophobic region for NOR sorption.

9,10-Phenanthrenedione biodegradation by a soil bacterium and identification of transformation products by LC/ESI-MS/MS

Transformation of 9,10-phenanthrenedione, a cytotoxic derivative of phenanthrene, was shown to occur by a soil bacterium belonging to the genus Sphingobium. Phenanthrene-grown cells of this strain were exposed to 50mgL(-1) 9,10-phenanthrenedione in liquid cultures, extracted, and extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in negative ionization mode. Full scan analyses of exposed cells over the range from m/z 50 to m/z 500 were compared to abiotic and biotic controls. Product and precursor ion scan mode analyses indicated that at least three aromatic ring-cleavage transformation products of 9,10-phenanthrenedione were present and structures for these products, corresponding to [M-H](-)=271, [M-H](-)=241, and [M-H](-)=339 were proposed to be 4-(1-hydroxy-3,4-dioxo-2-naphthyl)-2-oxo-but-3-enoic acid, 2,2'-diphenic acid and 2-[(6-carboxy-2,3-dihydroxy-phenyl)-hydroxy-methyl]-5-oxo-hex-3-enedioic acid. The identity of 2,2'-diphenic acid was confirmed by comparison to an authentic standard and when the strain was exposed to 50mgL(-1) 2,2'-diphenic acid in separate assays, a transformation product with a similar mass spectrum as 9,10-phenanthrenedione-derived [M-H](-)=339 was revealed. Based upon these results, pathways for the transformation of 9,10-phenanthrenedione by strain KK22 were proposed. Strain KK22 appeared unable to use 9,10-phenanthrenedione as a growth substrate under these conditions. This is the first report of potential biotransformation pathways of 9,10-phenanthrenedione by a bacterium.

Reductive degradation of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using an activated magnesium/co-solvent system

This study evaluates the capability of zero-valent magnesium and a protic co-solvent to promote the degradation of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons compounds, specifically 9-fluorenone, 9,10-anthraquinone, 7,12-benz(a)anthraquionone, and 7H-benz(de)anthracene-7-one. At room temperature conditions, greater than 86% degradation efficiency is observed after 24h of reaction time for a mixture containing 0.05 g of magnesium and four selected oxygenated aromatic hydrocarbons with 250 mg L(-1) concentrations. It is noted that glacial acetic acid is needed as an activator for the degradation reaction to proceed. It is also presumed that the acid removes oxide and hydroxide species from the magnesium surface. With the GC-MS analysis of the reaction products, possible reductive pathways are suggested. Furthermore, this study is the first report on the degradation of these emerging contaminants and it is proposed that the magnesium-powder/protic-solvent system is a promising low-cost reagent and may allow for the future development of an economic and environmentally-friendly remediation application.