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Aslam MW, Meng B, Ali W, Abrar MM, Abdelhafiz MA, Feng X. Low mercury risks in paddy soils across the Pakistan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 943:173879. [PMID: 38857798 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a globally distributed heavy metal. Here, we study Hg concentration and isotopic composition to understand the status of Hg pollution and its sources in Pakistan's paddy soil. The collected paddy soils (n = 500) across the country have an average THg concentration of 22.30 ± 21.74 ng/g. This low mean concentration suggests Hg pollution in Pakistan was not as severe as previously thought. Meanwhile, samples collected near brick kilns and industrial areas were significantly higher in THg than others, suggesting the influence of Hg emitted from point sources in certain areas. Soil physicochemical properties showed typical characteristic of mineral soils due to the study area's arid to semi-arid climate. Hg stable isotopes analysis, depicted mean Δ199Hg of -0.05 ± 0.12‰ and mean δ202Hg -0.45 ± 0.35‰, respectively, for contaminated sites, depicting Hg was primarily sourced from coal combustion by local anthropogenic sources. While uncontaminated sites show mean Δ199Hg of 0.15 ± 0.08‰, mean Δ200Hg of 0.06 ± 0.07‰ and mean δ202Hg of -0.32 ± 0.28‰, implying long-range transboundry Hg transport through wet Hg(II) deposition as a dominant Hg source. This study fills a significant knowledge gap regarding the Hg pollution status in Pakistan and suggests that the Hg risk in Pakistan paddies is generally low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Wajahat Aslam
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China
| | - Bo Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China.
| | - Waqar Ali
- Department of Ecological Sciences and Engineering, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, PR China
| | - Muhammad Mohsin Abrar
- College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, 510225 Guangzhou, China; Engineering and Technology Research Center for Agricultural Land Pollution and Integrated Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mahmoud A Abdelhafiz
- Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
| | - Xinbin Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
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Wang L, Liu H, Wang F, Wang Y, Xiang Y, Chen Y, Wang J, Wang D, Shen H. The different effects of molybdate on Hg(II) bio-methylation in aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1376844. [PMID: 39015741 PMCID: PMC11249568 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1376844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In nature, methylmercury (MeHg) is primarily generated through microbial metabolism, and the ability of bacteria to methylate Hg(II) depends on both bacterial properties and environmental factors. It is widely known that, as a metabolic analog, molybdate can inhibit the sulfate reduction process and affect the growth and methylation of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). However, after it enters the cell, molybdate can be involved in various intracellular metabolic pathways as a molybdenum cofactor; whether fluctuations in its concentration affect the growth and methylation of aerobic mercury methylating strains remains unknown. To address this gap, aerobic γ-Proteobacteria strains Raoultella terrigena TGRB3 (B3) and Pseudomonas putida TGRB4 (B4), as well as an obligate anaerobic δ-Proteobacteria strain of the SRB Desulfomicrobium escambiense CGMCC 1.3481 (DE), were used as experimental strains. The growth and methylation ability of each strain were analyzed under conditions of 500 ng·L-1 Hg(II), 0 and 21% of oxygen, and 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 1 mM of MoO4 2-. In addition, in order to explore the metabolic specificity of aerobic strains, transcriptomic data of the facultative mercury-methylated strain B3 were further analyzed in an aerobic mercuric environment. The results indicated that: (a) molybdate significantly inhibited the growth of DE, while B3 and B4 exhibited normal growth. (b) Under anaerobic conditions, in DE, the MeHg content decreased significantly with increasing molybdate concentration, while in B3, MeHg production was unaffected. Furthermore, under aerobic conditions, the MeHg productions of B3 and B4 were not influenced by the molybdate concentration. (c) The transcriptomic analysis showed several genes that were annotated as members of the molybdenum oxidoreductase family of B3 and that exhibited significant differential expression. These findings suggest that the differential expression of molybdenum-binding proteins might be related to their involvement in energy metabolism pathways that utilize nitrate and dimethyl sulfoxide as electron acceptors. Aerobic bacteria, such as B3 and B4, might possess distinct Hg(II) biotransformation pathways from anaerobic SRB, rendering their growth and biomethylation abilities unaffected by molybdate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanjing Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hang Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Research Center of Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yongmin Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Control, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuping Xiang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yongyi Chen
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiwu Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dingyong Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Control, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Shen
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Research Center of Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Dong H, Wang Y, Zhi T, Guo H, Guo Y, Liu L, Yin Y, Shi J, He B, Hu L, Jiang G. Construction of protein-protein interaction network in sulfate-reducing bacteria: Unveiling of global response to Hg. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 351:124048. [PMID: 38714230 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) play pivotal roles in the biotransformation of mercury (Hg). However, unrevealed global responses of SRB to Hg have restricted our understanding of details of Hg biotransformation processes. The absence of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network under Hg stimuli has been a bottleneck of proteomic analysis for molecular mechanisms of Hg transformation. This study constructed the first comprehensive PPI network of SRB in response to Hg, encompassing 67 connected nodes, 26 independent nodes, and 121 edges, covering 93% of differentially expressed proteins from both previous studies and this study. The network suggested that proteomic changes of SRB in response to Hg occurred globally, including microbial metabolism in diverse environments, carbon metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism and translation, nucleic acid repair, transport systems, nitrogen metabolism, and methyltransferase activity, partial of which could cover the known knowledge. Antibiotic resistance was the original response revealed by this network, providing insights into of Hg biotransformation mechanisms. This study firstly provided the foundational network for a comprehensive understanding of SRB's responses to Hg, convenient for exploration of potential targets for Hg biotransformation. Furthermore, the network indicated that Hg enhances the metabolic activities and modification pathways of SRB to maintain cellular activities, shedding light on the influences of Hg on the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles at the cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongzhe Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yuchuan Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory for Chronic Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei, 063210, China
| | - Tingting Zhi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Hua Guo
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Yingying Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Lihong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Bin He
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Ligang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, Beijing, 100049, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
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Ricardo TGO, Eduardo FSM, Rafael TMA, Moisés SHI, Verónica CH, Cesar SF, Sofía GGA, Eduardo PC. The leachate from the Urban Solid Waste Transfer Station produces neurotoxicity in Wistar rats. Toxicol Rep 2024; 12:318-324. [PMID: 38510067 PMCID: PMC10950561 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Leachate from municipal solid waste is a mixture of xenobiotics capable of contaminating bodies of water and causing damage to the health of living beings that inhabit or consume contaminated water. A previous study revealed the presence of heavy metals in Urban Solid Waste Transfer Station (USWTS) leachate above the permissible national and international limits. In the present study, we demonstrate that subchronic oral administration (5 and 25 % v/v) of leachate to male Wistar rats caused changes in the immunoreactivity of the glial markers: GFAP and Iba-1, accompanied by an increase in the expression of caspase-3, and a decrease in the expression of the NeuN protein. Results indicate that the heavy metals present in the leachate induced neuronal loss in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting that these contaminants can cause neurological problems in mammals that consume surface water with xenobiotics, since the leachate could contaminate water bodies and underground water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torres-González Omar Ricardo
- Unidad de Biotecnología Médica y Farmacéutica, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco (CIATEJ), Mexico
| | | | | | - Sánchez-Hernández Iván Moisés
- Unidad de Biotecnología Médica y Farmacéutica, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco (CIATEJ), Mexico
| | | | - Soria-Fregozo Cesar
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y de la Vida, Centro Universitario de los Lagos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - González-Garibay Angélica Sofía
- Unidad de Biotecnología Médica y Farmacéutica, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco (CIATEJ), Mexico
| | - Padilla-Camberos Eduardo
- Unidad de Biotecnología Médica y Farmacéutica, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco (CIATEJ), Mexico
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Zhang S, Xia M, Pan Z, Wang J, Yin Y, Lv J, Hu L, Shi J, Jiang T, Wang D. Soil organic matter degradation and methylmercury dynamics in Hg-contaminated soils: Relationships and driving factors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120432. [PMID: 38479282 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Biodegradation of soil organic matter (SOM), which involves greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, plays an essential role in the global carbon cycle. Over the past few decades, this has become an important research focus, particularly in natural ecosystems. SOM biodegradation significantly affects contaminants in the environment, such as mercury (Hg) methylation, producing highly toxic methylmercury (MeHg). However, the potential link between GHG production from SOM turnover in contaminated soils and biogeochemical processes involving contaminants remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of GHG, MeHg production, and the relationship between biogeochemical processes in soils from two typical Hg mining sites. The two contaminated soils have different pathways, explaining the significant variations in GHG and MeHg production. The divergence of the microbial communities in these two biogeochemical processes is essential. In addition to the microbial role, abiotic factors such as Hg species can significantly affect MeHg production. On the other hand, we found an inverse relationship between CH4 and MeHg, suggesting that carbon emission reduction policies and management could inadvertently increase the MeHg levels. This highlights the need for an eclectic approach to organic carbon sequestration and contaminant containment. These findings suggest that it is difficult to establish a general pattern to describe and explain the SOM degradation and MeHg production in contaminated soils within the specific scenarios. However, this study provides a case study and helpful insights for further understanding the links between environmental risks and carbon turnover in Hg mining areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Meng Xia
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Zhaoyang Pan
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jianxu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Jitao Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Ligang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances, School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, 430056, China.
| | - Dingyong Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, China
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Cardona GI, Escobar MC, Acosta-González A, Díaz-Ruíz N, Niño-García JP, Vasquez Y, Marrugo-Negrete J, Marqués S. Microbial diversity and abundance of Hg related genes from water, sediment and soil the Colombian amazon ecosystems impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141348. [PMID: 38340998 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The Amazon region abounds in precious mineral resources including gold, copper, iron, and coltan. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) poses a severe risk in this area due to considerable mercury release into the surrounding ecosystems. Nonetheless, the impact of mercury on both the overall microbiota and the microbial populations involved in mercury transformation is not well understood. In this study we evaluated microbial diversity in samples of soil, sediment and water potentially associated with mercury contamination in two localities (Taraira and Tarapacá) in the Colombian Amazon Forest. To this end, we characterized the bacterial community structure and mercury-related functions in samples from sites with a chronic history of mercury contamination which today have different levels of total mercury content. We also determined mercury bioavailability and mobility in the samples with the highest THg and MeHg levels (up to 43.34 and 0.049 mg kg-1, respectively, in Taraira). Our analysis of mercury speciation showed that the immobile form of mercury predominated in soils and sediments, probably rendering it unavailable to microorganisms. Despite its long-term presence, mercury did not appear to alter the microbial community structure or composition, which was primarily shaped by environmental and physicochemical factors. However, an increase in the relative abundance of merA genes was detected in polluted sediments from Taraira. Several Hg-responsive taxa in soil and sediments were detected in sites with high levels of THg, including members of the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Chloroflexi phyla. The results suggest that mercury contamination at the two locations sampled may select mercury-adapted bacteria carrying the merA gene that could be used in bioremediation processes for the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladys Inés Cardona
- Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI. Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Recursos Genéticos, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Maria Camila Escobar
- Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI. Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Recursos Genéticos, Bogotá, Colombia; Escuela de Microbiología. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Natalie Díaz-Ruíz
- Escuela de Microbiología. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Yaneth Vasquez
- Chemistry Department, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Colombia
| | - José Marrugo-Negrete
- Convergence Science and Technology Cluster, Universidad Central, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Silvia Marqués
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection. Estación Experimental Del Zaidín. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
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Peng X, Yang Y, Yang S, Li L, Song L. Recent advance of microbial mercury methylation in the environment. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:235. [PMID: 38407657 PMCID: PMC10896945 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12967-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Methylmercury formation is mainly driven by microbial-mediated process. The mechanism of microbial mercury methylation has become a crucial research topic for understanding methylation in the environment. Pioneering studies of microbial mercury methylation are focusing on functional strain isolation, microbial community composition characterization, and mechanism elucidation in various environments. Therefore, the functional genes of microbial mercury methylation, global isolations of Hg methylation strains, and their methylation potential were systematically analyzed, and methylators in typical environments were extensively reviewed. The main drivers (key physicochemical factors and microbiota) of microbial mercury methylation were summarized and discussed. Though significant progress on the mechanism of the Hg microbial methylation has been explored in recent decade, it is still limited in several aspects, including (1) molecular biology techniques for identifying methylators; (2) characterization methods for mercury methylation potential; and (3) complex environmental properties (environmental factors, complex communities, etc.). Accordingly, strategies for studying the Hg microbial methylation mechanism were proposed. These strategies include the following: (1) the development of new molecular biology methods to characterize methylation potential; (2) treating the environment as a micro-ecosystem and studying them from a holistic perspective to clearly understand mercury methylation; (3) a more reasonable and sensitive inhibition test needs to be considered. KEY POINTS: • Global Hg microbial methylation is phylogenetically and functionally discussed. • The main drivers of microbial methylation are compared in various condition. • Future study of Hg microbial methylation is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuya Peng
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shapingba Street, Chongqing, 400045, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shapingba Street, Chongqing, 400045, China
| | - Shu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shapingba Street, Chongqing, 400045, China.
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
| | - Lei Li
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174, Shapingba Street, Chongqing, 400045, China
| | - Liyan Song
- School of resources and environmental engineering, Anhui University, No 111 Jiulong Road, Economic and Technology Development Zone, Hefei, 230601, People's Republic of China.
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Li Z, Wang T, Yang X, Wen X, Chen W, He Y, Yu Z, Zhang C. Microbial community function and methylmercury production in oxygen-limited paddy soil. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 266:115585. [PMID: 37856980 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury is a neurotoxic compound that can enter rice fields through rainfall or irrigation with contaminated wastewater, and then contaminate the human food chain through the consumption of rice. Flooded paddy soil has a porous structure that facilitates air exchange with the atmosphere, but the presence of trace amounts of oxygen in flooded rice field soil and its impact on microbial-mediated formation of methylmercury is still unclear. We compared the microbial communities and their functions in oxygen-depleted and oxygen-limited paddy soil. We discovered that oxygen-limited paddy soil had higher methylmercury concentration, which was strongly correlated with soil properties and methylation potential. Compared with oxygen-depleted soil, oxygen-limited soil altered the microbial composition based on 16 S rRNA sequences, but not based on hgcA sequences. Moreover, oxygen-limited soil enhanced microbial activity significantly, increasing the abundance of more than half of the KEGG pathways, especially the metabolic pathways that might be involved in methylation. Our study unveils how microbial communities influence methylmercury formation in oxygen-limited paddy soil. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS: This study examined how low oxygen input affects microbial-induced MeHg formation in anaerobic paddy soil. We found that oxygen-limited soil produced more MeHg than oxygen-depleted soil. Oxygen input altered the microbial community structure of 16 S rRNA sequencing in anaerobic paddy soil, but had little impact on the hgcA sequencing community structure. Microbial activity and metabolic functions related to MeHg formation were also higher in oxygen-limited paddy soil. We suggest that oxygen may not be a limiting factor for Hg methylators, and that insufficient oxygen input in flooded paddy soil increases the risk of human exposure to MeHg from rice consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Tantan Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Xu Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Xin Wen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Wenhao Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Yubo He
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Zhigang Yu
- Australian Center for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Chang Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, China.
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Zhu S, Yang C, Chen H, Wang Y, Li J, Zhang R, Yang Y, Zhang C, Wang D. Organic Carbon Controls Mercury Distribution and Storage in the Surface Soils of the Water-Level-Fluctuation Zone in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3681. [PMID: 36834375 PMCID: PMC9968128 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The particular condition of the water-level-fluctuation zone (WLFZ) in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), the largest hydroelectric reservoir in China, raises great concerns about mercury (Hg) contamination and ecological risk. In addition, previous research found that soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an essential role in controlling Hg distribution and speciation. However, there is minimal information on the Hg storage distribution and their relationships with SOC in the WLFZ in TGR. This study investigated Hg distribution, storage, and their relationships with SOC in the surface soils in WLFZ. The results showed that the total Hg (THg) content in the surface soils ranged from 18.40 to 218.50 ng g-1, with an average value of 78.17 ± 41.92 ng g-1. About 89% of samples had THg content above the background value in Chongqing, showing specific enrichment of Hg in WLFZ due to contamination in the TGR. The surface soils have low SOC, with an average value of 8.10 ± 3.90 g kg-1. Moreover, THg content showed consistent distribution with the SOC in WLFZ, with a significantly positive correlation (R = 0.52, p < 0.01, n = 242). THg storage (201.82 ± 103.46 g ha-1) in the surface soils was also significantly positively correlated with the SOC storage (R = 0.47, p < 0.01, n = 242). The reduced SOC sequestration, due to the periodical alternative "flooding-draining" and frequent reclamation and utilization of WLFZ, decreased the Hg adsorption in soil. Those might result in the re-release of Hg into waters when WLFZ is flooded. Therefore, more attention should be directed towards Hg cycling and the consequent environmental risks in the TGR region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihua Zhu
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Caiyun Yang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Yongmin Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Jieqin Li
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Ruixi Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Dingyong Wang
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
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Guo Y, Xiang Y, Liu G, Chen Y, Liu Y, Song M, Li Y, Shi J, Hu L, Yin Y, Cai Y, Jiang G. "Trojan Horse" Type Internalization Increases the Bioavailability of Mercury Sulfide Nanoparticles and Methylation after Intracellular Dissolution. ACS NANO 2023; 17:1925-1934. [PMID: 36688800 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c05657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mercury sulfide nanoparticles (HgSNP), as natural metal-containing nanoparticles, are the dominant Hg species in anoxic zones. Although the microbial Hg methylation of HgSNP has been previously reported, the importance of this process in Hg methylation has yet to be clarified due to the lack of knowledge on the internalization and transformation of HgSNP. Here, we investigated the internalization and transformation of HgSNP in microbial methylator Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA through total Hg analysis and different Hg species quantification in medium and cytoplasm. We found that the microbial uptake of HgSNP, via a passive diffusion pathway, was significantly higher than that of the Hg2+-dissolved organic matter (Hg2+-DOM) complex. Internalized HgSNP were dissolved to Hg2+ in cytoplasm with a maximal dissolution of 41%, suggesting a "Trojan horse" mechanism. The intracellular Hg2+ from HgSNP exposure at the initial stage (8 h) was higher than that in Hg2+-DOM group, which led to higher methylation of HgSNP. Furthermore, no differences in methylmercury (MeHg) production from HgSNP were observed between the hgcAB gene knockout (ΔhgcAB) and wild-type strains, suggesting that HgSNP methylation may occur through HgcAB-independent pathways. Considering the possibility of a broad range of hgcAB-lacking microbes serving as methylators for HgSNP and the ubiquity of HgSNP in anoxic environments, this study highlights the importance of HgSNP internalization and methylation in MeHg production and demonstrates the necessity of understanding the assimilation and transformation of nutrient and toxic metal nanoparticles in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Guo
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
| | - Yuping Xiang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
| | - Guangliang Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Ying Chen
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanwei Liu
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
| | - Maoyong Song
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
| | - Yanbin Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Jianbo Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
| | - Ligang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yong Cai
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effect, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10085, China
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