Environmentally persistent free radical generation on contaminated soil and their potential biotoxicity to luminous bacteria

Environmentally persistent free radicals and other paramagnetic species in wildland-urban interface fire ashes

Wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires consume fuels, such as vegetation and structural materials, leaving behind ash composed primarily of pyrogenic carbon and metal oxides. However, there is currently limited understanding of the role of WUI fire ash from different sources as a source of paramagnetic species such as environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) and transition metals in the environment. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) was used to detect and quantify paramagnetic species, including organic persistent free radicals and transition metal spins, in fifty-three fire ash and soil samples collected following the North Complex Fire and the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) Lightning Complex Fire, California, 2020. High concentrations of organic EPFRs (e.g., 1.4 × 1014 to 1.9 × 1017 spins g-1) were detected in the studied WUI fire ash along with other paramagnetic species such as iron and manganese oxides, as well as Fe3+ and Mn2+ ions. The mean concentrations of EPFRs in various ash types decreased following the order: vegetation ash (1.1 × 1017 ± 1.1 × 1017 spins g-1) > structural ash (1.6 × 1016 ± 3.7 × 1016 spins g-1) > vehicle ash (6.4 × 1015 ± 8.6 × 1015 spins g-1) > soil (3.2 × 1015 ± 3.7 × 1015 spins g-1). The mean concentrations of EPFRs decreased with increased combustion completeness indicated by ash color; black (1.1 × 1017 ± 1.1 × 1017 spins g-1) > white (2.5 × 1016 ± 4.4 × 1016 spins g-1) > gray (1.8 × 1016 ± 2.4 × 1016 spins g-1). In contrast, the relative amounts of reduced Mn2+ ions increased with increased combustion completeness. Thus, WUI fire ash is an important global source of EPFRs and reduced metal species (e.g., Mn2+). Further research is needed to underpin the formation, transformation, and environmental and human health impacts of these paramagnetic species in light of the projected increased frequency, size, and severity of WUI fires.

Formation of nitrated naphthalene in the sulfate radical oxidation process in the presence of nitrite

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have become a global environmental concern due to their potential hazardous implication for human health. In this study, we found that sulfate radical (SO4•-) could effectively degrade naphthalene (NAP), a representative PAH in groundwaters, generating 1-naphthol. This intermediate underwent further degradation, yielding ring-opening products including phthalic acid and salicylic acid. However, the presence of nitrite (NO2-), a prevalent ion in subsurface environments, was observed to compete with NAP for SO4•-, thus slowing down the NAP degradation. The reaction between NO2- and SO4•- generated a nitrogen dioxide radical (NO2•). Concurrently, in-situ formed 1-naphthol underwent further oxidization to the 1-naphthoxyl radical by SO4•-. The coupling of 1-naphthoxyl radicals with NO2• gave rise to a series of nitrated NAP, namely 2-nitro-1-naphthol, 4-nitro-1-naphthol, and 2,4-dinitro-1-naphthol. In addition, the in-situ formed phthalic acid and salicylic acid also underwent nitration, generating nitrophenolic products, although this pathway appeared less prominent than the nitration of 1-naphthol. When 10 μΜ NAP was subjected to heat activated peroxydisulfate oxidation in the presence of 10 μΜ NO2-, the total yield of nitrated products reached 0.730 μΜ in 120 min. Overall, the presence of NO2- dramatically altered the behavior of NAP degradation by SO4•- oxidation and contributed to the formation of toxic nitrated products. These findings raise awareness of the potential environmental risks associated with the application of SO4•--based oxidation processes for the remediation of PAHs-polluted sites in presence of NO2-.

Biochar-Derived Persistent Free Radicals: A Plethora of Environmental Applications in a Light and Shadows Scenario

Biochar (BC) is a carbonaceous material obtained by pyrolysis at 200-1000 °C in the limited presence of O2 from different vegetable and animal biomass feedstocks. BC has demonstrated great potential, mainly in environmental applications, due to its high sorption ability and persistent free radicals (PFRs) content. These characteristics enable BC to carry out the direct and PFRs-mediated removal/degradation of environmental organic and inorganic contaminants. The types of PFRs that are possibly present in BC depend mainly on the pyrolysis temperature and the kind of pristine biomass. Since they can also cause ecological and human damage, a systematic evaluation of the environmental behavior, risks, or management techniques of BC-derived PFRs is urgent. PFRs generally consist of a mixture of carbon- and oxygen-centered radicals and of oxygenated carbon-centered radicals, depending on the pyrolytic conditions. Here, to promote the more productive and beneficial use of BC and the related PFRs and to stimulate further studies to make them environmentally safer and less hazardous to humans, we have first reviewed the most common methods used to produce BC, its main environmental applications, and the primary mechanisms by which BC remove xenobiotics, as well as the reported mechanisms for PFR formation in BC. Secondly, we have discussed the environmental migration and transformation of PFRs; we have reported the main PFR-mediated application of BC to degrade inorganic and organic pollutants, the potential correlated environmental risks, and the possible strategies to limit them.

Microplastics in soils: Production, behavior process, impact on soil organisms, and related toxicity mechanisms

In recent years, microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a hot ecological issue of global concern and MP pollution in soil is becoming increasingly serious. Studies have shown that MPs have adverse effects on soil biology and ecological functions. Although MPs are evident in soils, identifying their source, abundance, and types is difficult because of the complexity and variability of soil components. In addition, the effects of MPs on soil physicochemical properties (PCP), including direct effects such as direct interaction with soil particles and indirect effects such as the impact on soil organisms, have not been reported in a differentiated manner. Furthermore, at present, the soil ecological effects of MPs are mostly based on biological toxicity reports of their exudate or size effects, whereas the impact of their surface-specific properties (such as environmentally persistent free radicals, surface functional groups, charge, and curvature) on soil ecological functions is not fully understood. Considering this, this paper reviews the latest research findings on the production and behavioral processes of MPs in soil, the effects on soil PCP, the impacts on different soil organisms, and the related toxic mechanisms. The above discussion will enhance further understanding of the behavioral characteristics and risks of MPs in soil ecosystems and provide some theoretical basis for further clarification of the molecular mechanisms of the effects of MPs on soil organisms.

Environmentally persistent free radicals on photoaged nanopolystyrene induce neurotoxicity by affecting dopamine, glutamate, serotonin and GABA in Caenorhabditis elegans

Microplastics are widely detected in the environment and induce toxic effects in various organisms. However, the properties and toxicity associated with environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in photoaged nanopolystyrene (NPS) remain largely unknown. We investigated the generation of EPFRs on photoaged NPS and their neurotoxicity and underlying mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans. The results suggested that photoaging induces the generation of EPFRs and reactive oxygen species (O2•-, •OH, and 1O2), which altered the physicochemical properties (morphology, crystallinity, and functional groups) of NPS. Acute exposure to 1 μg/L of NPS-60 (NPS with light irradiation time of 60 d) significantly decreased locomotion behaviors and neurotransmitter contents (e.g., glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, and γ-aminobutyric acid). Treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) by radical quenching test significantly reduced EPFRs levels on the aged NPS, and the toxicity of NAC-quenching NPS was decreased in nematodes compared to those in photoaged NPS. EPFRs also caused dysfunction of neurotransmission-related gene expression in C. elegans. Thus, EPFRs generated on photoaged NPS contributed to neurotoxicity by affecting dopamine, glutamate, serotonin, and γ-aminobutyric acid neurotransmission. The study highlights the potential risks of photoaged NPS and the contributions of EPFRs to toxicity.

Biochar-Associated Free Radicals Reduce Soil Bacterial Diversity: New Insight into Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry

The toxicity of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), often generated during biochar production, on soil bacteria is still not truly reflected when considering the conditions in real soil. Herein, the influence of free radicals within biochar on soil bacteria was investigated from the perspectives of enzyme activity, community structure, and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry. Biochar addition enhanced the contents of EPFRs and derived hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in the soil, while it reduced bacterial alpha diversity by 5.06-35.44%. The results of redundancy analysis and inhibition experiments collectively demonstrated the key role of EPFRs and •OH in reducing the bacterial alpha diversity. Specifically, EPFRs and •OH increased the stoichiometric imbalance by promoting the release of dissolved organic carbon and ammonium N, thus aggravating the P limitation in soil. This was further confirmed by increased alkaline phosphatase activity from 702 to 874 nmol g-1 h-1. The P limitation induced by EPFRs and •OH decreased the bacterial alpha diversity, as evidenced by the negative correlation between P limitation and bacterial alpha diversity (r2 = -0.931 to -0.979, P < 0.01) and the structural equation model. The obtained results demonstrate a ubiquitous but previously overlooked mechanism for bacterial toxicity of biochar-associated free radicals, providing scientific guidance for safe utilization of biochar.

A short review on environmental distribution and toxicity of the environmentally persistent free radicals

Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (EPFRs) are usually generated by the electron transfer of a certain radical precursor on the surface of a carrier. They are characterized with high activity, wide migration range, and relatively long half-life period. In this review, we summarized the literature on EPFRs published since 2010, including their environmental occurrence and potential cytotoxicity and biotoxicity. The EPFRs in the atmosphere are the most abundant in the environment, mainly generated from the combustion of raw materials or biochar, and the C-center types (quinones, semiquinones radicals, etc.) may exist for a relatively long time. These EPFRs can transform into other substances (such as reactive oxygen species, ROS) under the influence of environmental factors, and partly enter soil and water by wet and dry deposition of particulate matter, which may promote the generation of EPFRs in those media. The wide distribution of EPFRs in the environment may lead to their exposure to biota including humans, resulting in cytotoxicity and biotoxicity. The EPFRs can influence the normal redox process of the biota, and generate a large number of free radicals like ROS. Exposure to EPFRs may change the expression of gene and activity of metabolic enzymes, and damage the cells, as well as some organs such as the lung, trachea, and heart. However, due to the difficulty in sample extraction, identification, and quantification of the specific EPFR individuals, the toxicity and exposure evaluation of biota are still limited which merits study in the future.

Applications, impacts, and management of biochar persistent free radicals: A review

Biochar is a promising environmental contaminant remediation agent because of its adsorptive and catalytic properties. However, the environmental effects of persistent free radicals (PFRs) produced by biomass pyrolysis (biochar production) are still poorly understood, though they have received increasing research attention in recent years. Although PFRs both directly and indirectly mediate biochar's removal of environmental pollutants, they also have the potential to cause ecological damage. In order to support and sustain biochar applications, effective strategies are needed to control the negative effects of biochar PFRs. Yet, there has been no systematic evaluation of the environmental behavior, risks, or management techniques of biochar PFRs. Thus, this review: 1) outlines the formation mechanisms and types of biochar PFRs, 2) evaluates their environmental applications and potential risks, 3) summarizes their environmental migration and transformation, and 4) explores effective management strategies for biochar PFRs during both production and application phases. Finally, future research directions are recommended.

Scientific and regulatory challenges of environmentally persistent free radicals: From formation theory to risk prevention strategies

EPFRs (Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals) are a class of pollutants that have been identified as potential environmental contaminants due to their persistence and ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can cause oxidative stress in living organisms. However, no study has comprehensively summarized the production conditions, influencing factors and toxic mechanisms of EPFRs, impeding exposure toxicity assessments and risk prevention strategies. To bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical application, a thorough literature review to summarize the formation, environmental effects, and biotoxicity of EPFRs are conducted. A total of 470 relevant papers were screened in Web of Science Core collection databases. The transfer of electrons between interfaces and the cleavage of covalent bonds of persistent organic pollutants is crucial to the generation of EPFRs, which is induced by external sources of energy, including thermal energy, light energy, transition metal ions, and others. In the thermal system, the stable covalent bond of organic matter can be destroyed by heat energy at low temperature to form EPFRs, while the formed EPFRs can be destroyed at high temperature. Light can also accelerate the production of free radicals and promote the degradation of organic matter. The persistence and stability of EPFRs are synergistically influenced by individual environmental factors such as environmental humidity, oxygen content, organic matter content, and environmental pH. Studying the formation mechanism of EPFRs and their biotoxicity is essential for fully understanding the hazards posed by these emerging environmental contaminants.

Application of the Luminescent luxCDABE Gene for the Rapid Screening of Antibacterial Substances Targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a typical Gram-negative bacterium that can cause the spoilage of catered food products. Using a luminescent reporter gene (luxCDABE), this study sought to construct a cell-based biosensor (PAO1-CE) to rapidly screen antibacterial substances against P. aeruginosa. A total of six antibiotics belonging to five categories were used as the model test substances. The results of the bioluminescence detection method were verified using traditional antibacterial research assessments. The correlation coefficient of the regression equation fitting the data generated using this method was greater than 0.98, supporting the credibility of this approach. Additionally, the EC₅₀ of each of the antibiotics assessed in this study was lower than the 1/2 MIC determined by conventional means. All six of the antibiotics caused varying degrees of damage to the cell membrane and cell wall of P. aeruginosa. Importantly, this novel method helped shorten the time necessary for active-compound detection and could be used for high-throughput detection, which would also help improve the detection efficiency. The application of this method towards the discovery of novel antibacterial compounds targeting P. aeruginosa holds substantial promise for greatly improving the efficiency of compound discovery.

Biogenic synthesis of reduced graphene oxide from Ziziphus spina-christi (Christ's thorn jujube) extracts for catalytic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant potentialities

In the current work, various concentrations of the aqueous extract of Ziziphus spina-christi were employed for the phytoreduction of graphene oxide (GO). The green synthesized reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was characterized through UV-Vis spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) denoted the presence of numerous phytoconstituents including ketones, terpenoids, fatty acids, esters, and flavonoids, which acted as reducing and capping agents. The obtained results indicated the increase in rGO yield and shape with increasing the extract concentration. The optimized rGO was instantaneously ~100% removed methylene blue (MB) from the water at 5 mg L-1. However, the removal efficiency was slightly declined to reach 73.55 and 65.1% at 10 and 15 mg L-1, respectively. A powerful antibacterial activity for rGO particularly against gram-negative bacteria with a high concentration of 2 × 108 CFU mL-1 was confirmed. Furthermore, rGO demonstrated promising and comparable antioxidant efficiency with vitamin C against DPPH free radical scavenging. While vitamin C recorded 13.45 and 48.4%, the optimized rGO attained 13.30 and 45.20% at 12 and 50 μg mL-1, respectively.

Impact of biochar, fertilizers and cultivation type on environmentally persistent free radicals in agricultural soil

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) have been considered as emerging contaminants due to their detrimental effects on human health. The adverse health impacts are attributed to oxidative stress induced by EPFRs through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In soils, it may also increase the degradation process of polymeric organic matter and/or undesired organic pollutants through hydroxyl radical activity. The biochar pyrolysis process entails the thermal decomposition of organic compounds in the biomass, with the carbonization conditions and feedstock type facilitating the formation of EPFRs. When biochar is used to amend soil, these radicals may promote the formation of ROS, and thus influence the transformation of organic and inorganic contaminants in soil and impact the rhizosphere. Agricultural soils are being amended with biochar to mainly increase carbon content and facilitate the plant growing conditions. Therefore, agricultural soils may become a source of EPFRs. However, the fate and transformations of EPFRs in soils after biochar amendment are not well understood or studied. This paper presents the first (to our knowledge) studies of EPFRs behaviour in agricultural soil with different input of biochar, cultivation types and residence time period. Different cultivation types, addition of fertilisers and variation in biochar input, on the one hand, and presence of metals in soil, biochar and fertilizers, on the other hand, provide different conditions for EPFRs formation, accumulation and fate in agricultural soils. Two significant factors have been found to determine the fate of EPFRs in soil: transition metal content (particularly those in reaction available form) and cultivation level of soil. Cultivation significantly decreased presence of EPFRs, both carbon-centered and oxygen-centered, in relatively short periods of time, while metal presence (and particularly through fertilizer supplementation) increases the half-life of radicals and transforms organic matter to more oxygen-centered EPFRs. The amount of biochar addition plays a secondary role as the EPFRs content in the soils is in a longer term primarily controlled by the other two factors.

Direct toxicity of environmentally persistent free radicals to nematode Caenorhabditis elegans after excluding the concomitant chemicals

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) have attracted extensive attention due to their potential toxicity. However, EPFRs-containing particles always coexist with their parent organic contaminants and intermediate degradation products (IM), which may have hindered the toxicity assessment of EPFRs. In this study, the toxicity of EFFRs was specifically verified after comparing the systems without EPFRs, such as the immediate mixture of catechol (CT) and particles, solutions of CT only, IM extracted from the particles, as well as particles after EPFRs quenching. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were used as model organisms. Our results showed that EPFRs-containing particles (Si-Al-CT) exhibited significant toxicity to C. elegans, but not for the parent chemical CT and IM on the particles. Higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the Si-Al-CT system were attributed to the mediated generation of ·O₂^- and ·OH via EPFRs. EPFRs could increase gene expressions related not only to oxidative stress and biotransformation in C. elegans, but also to indications of disturbances in energy homeostasis, survival, proliferation, cell and embryonic development. Overall, these results confirmed the direct toxicity of EPFRs and highlighted the key role of EPFRs which may be neglected in assessing the environmental risks of organic contaminants.

Distribution, influence factors, and biotoxicity of environmentally persistent free radical in soil at a typical coking plant

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are emerging pollutants in contaminated soils and have attracted significant attention. Chinese coke production making a great contribution to the globe is increasingly identified as the non-ignorable source of EPFRs. However, the distribution level, influence factors, and biotoxicity of EPFRs at coking sites remain poorly understood. Herein, a typical coking plant in Tangshan, China, featuring two functional regions (the reconstructed project (RP) and elimination engineering (EE)) was used to study the existence of EPFRs. The spin density of the EPFRs in coking soils was 3.20 × 10²⁰-3.11 × 10²¹ spins/g with g-factor values of 2.0020-2.0036. The EPFRs presented higher concentrations and g-factor values in RP region than in EE region, and a mixture of carbon-centered radicals and carbon-centered radicals with adjacent oxygen atoms as well as carbon-centered radical was ascertained in the former and the latter, respectively. Correlation analysis and FT-ICR-MS results indicated that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) together with other unsaturated hydrocarbons and condensed aromatic contaminants, might contribute to the EPFRs formation in the soils of RP region, whereas PAHs were the main source of EPFRs in EE region. Soil components were determined to investigate the influence factors in EPFRs formation. Cu and Fe₂O₃ were recognized as the markedly positive influence factors, while TOC had a negative impact on EPFR formation. Visible light irradiation can induce the transformation and generation of EPFRs. As representative contaminants, both toluene and 2-chlorophenol can create EPFRs in coking soil under visible light irradiation. The potential biotoxicity tests of Photobacterium phosphoreum T3 spp. showed that EPFRs from the soils diminished bacterial luminescence. Such effect was proven to be induced by the OH based on the quenching experiment. Understanding the influence factors of EPFRs formation and their biotoxicity in coking soils is critical for developing risk assessments and prevention strategies.

Characteristics of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals in PM2.5 and the Influence of Air Pollutants in Shihezi, Northwestern China

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are a kind of hazardous substance that exist stably in the atmosphere for a long time. EPFRs combined with fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) can enter the human respiratory tract through respiration, causing oxidative stress and DNA damage, and they are also closely related to lung cancer. In this study, the inhalation risk for EPFRs in PM_2.5 and factors influencing this risk were assessed using the equivalent number of cigarette tar EPFRs. The daily inhalation exposure for EPFRs in PM_2.5 was estimated to be equivalent to 0.66–8.40 cigarette tar EPFRs per day. The concentration level and species characteristics were investigated using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The concentration of EPFRs in the study ranged from 1.353–4.653 × 10¹³ spins/g, and the types of EPFRs were mainly oxygen- or carbon-centered semiquinone-type radicals. Our study showed that there is a strong correlation between the concentrations of EPFRs and conventional pollutants, except for sulfur dioxide. The major factors influencing EPFR concentration in the atmosphere were temperature and wind speed; the higher the temperature and wind speed, the lower the concentration of EPFRs. The findings of this study provide an important basis for further research on the formation mechanism and health effects of EPFRs.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Water Toxicity Based on Photosynthetic Inhibition Effect

To achieve rapid and sensitive detection of the toxicity of pollutants in the aquatic environment, a photosynthetic inhibition method with microalgae as the test organism and photosynthetic fluorescence parameters as the test endpoint was proposed. In this study, eight environmental pollutants were selected to act on the tested organism, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, including herbicides (diuron, atrazine), fungicides (fuberidazole), organic chemical raw materials (phenanthrene, phenol, p-benzoquinone), disinfectants (trichloroacetonitrile uric acid), and disinfection by-products (trichloroacetonitrile). The results showed that, in addition to specific PSII inhibitors (diuretic and atrazine), other types of pollutants could also quickly affect the photosynthetic system. The photosynthetic fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fm, Yield, α, and rP) could be used to detect the effects of pollutants on the photosynthetic system. Although the decay rate of the photosynthetic fluorescence parameters corresponding to the different pollutants was different, 1 h could be used as an appropriate toxicity exposure time. Moreover, the lowest respondent concentrations of photosynthetic fluorescence parameters to diuron, atrazine, fuberidazole, phenanthrene, P-benzoquinone, phenol, trichloroacetonitrile uric acid, and trichloroacetonitrile were 2 μg·L⁻¹, 5 μg·L⁻¹, 0.05 mg·L⁻¹, 2 μg·L⁻¹, 1.0 mg·L⁻¹, 0.4 g·L⁻¹, 0.1 mg·L⁻¹, and 2.0 mg·L⁻¹, respectively. Finally, diuron, atrazine, fuberidazole, and phenanthrene were selected for a comparison of their photosynthetic inhibition and growth inhibition. The results suggested that photosynthetic inhibition could overcome the time dependence of growth inhibition and shorten the toxic exposure time from more than 24 h to less than 1 h, or even a few minutes, while, the sensitivity of the toxicity test was not weakened. This study indicates that the photosynthetic inhibition method could be used for rapid detection of the toxicity of water pollutants and that algae fluorescence provides convenient access to toxicity data.

Distribution of persistent free radicals in different molecular weight fractions from peat humic acids and their impact in reducing goethite

Humic substances, the most abundant component of soil organic matter, play vital roles in the biogeochemical cycles and pollutant redox reactions. However, the knowledge regarding the distribution of persistent free radicals (PFRs) and redox capacity in different molecular weight fractions (MWF) of humic acid (HA) and their impact on the transformation of iron oxide minerals remains unknown. In this study, we separated bulk HA into various MWF using dialysis methods and systematically investigated their PFRs properties, redox capacity, and the impact in reducing goethite. The results showed that the PFRs in the low MWF (<3500, <7000, and <14,000 Da) can be assigned to oxygen-centered organic radicals while those in the bulk and high MWF (14000-retentate) were assigned to carbon-centered organic radicals. The PFRs concentrations of low MWF were 0.20-0.45 × 10¹⁶ spins/g, far less than those of bulk HA (3.04 × 10¹⁶ spins/g) and 14000-retentate (1.30 × 10¹⁶ spins/g). The total concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by PFRs in HA fractions ranged from 8.04 × 10¹⁶ (in 14000-retentate) to 32.35 × 10¹⁶ spins/g (in bulk HA). Compared with the low MWF, the 14000-retentate fractions had the higher reducing capacity, which was positively related to the content of PFRs and phenolic hydroxyl in HA. The results obtained provide valuable insight into the geochemistry processes of Fe-containing minerals during their interaction with HA in the natural environment. Overall, the results obtained provide valuable insight into the geochemical behaviors of HA-associated PFRs under natural conditions.

Ecotoxicity testing of airborne particulate matter-comparison of sample preparation techniques for the Vibrio fischeri assay

The bioassay based on the bioluminescence inhibition of the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri has been the most widely used test for the assessment of airborne particulate matter ecotoxicity. Most studies available use an extract of the solid sample, either made with water or organic solvents. As an alternative, a whole-aerosol test is also available where test bacteria are in actual contact with contaminated particles. In our study, different extraction procedures were compared to this direct contact test based on the V. fischeri assay and analytical measurements. The lowest PAH content and the highest EC₅₀ were determined in water extract, while the highest PAH amount and lowest EC₅₀ were measured in dichloromethane, hexane, and dimethyl-sulphoxide extracts. EC₅₀ of the direct contact test was comparable to that of the methanol extract. Our results suggest that the sensitivity of the direct contact test equals to that of extraction procedures using organic solvents, moreover, it is mimicking an environmentally realistic exposure route.

CuO and TiO2 particles generated more stable and stronger EPFRs in dark than under UV-irradiation

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EFPRs) have recently attracted a great deal of research attention because of their significant toxicity and ubiquitous occurrence in the environment. The information is still very limited on how to estimate the intensity of EPFRs under ambient circumstances. This study is designed to specifically compare EPFRs generation during catechol degradation in dark and UV light irradiation. CuO and TiO₂ were selected as model metal oxides to coat on silica at 1% CuO has a large electron exchange capacity, which may mediate catechol degradation in dark, while TiO₂ possesses strong photocatalytic property and could accelerate catechol degradation under UV light. Under UV light irradiation, EPFRs were generated very quickly and reached the maximum value in 4 d, which was related to the photocatalytic property of the particle. However, these EPFRs dissipated quickly in 14 d. On the contrary, the intensities of EPFRs generated in dark were 2 times higher, and stabled for over 2 months. Therefore, the environmental impacts of EPFRs in dark may be widespread and long-lasting, which should be monitored more carefully. It should be noted that for CuO-coated silica, a significant amount of EPFRs (20% of the maximum) survived the UV-light irradiation and stabled during the experimental period (45 d). Stronger EPFRs were associated with more abundant dimer structures, suggesting the dimer structures were related to EPFRs formation during catechol degradation. Monitoring the generation of dimer structures in the degradation of organic chemicals may provide useful information to estimate EPFRs generation and risks.

The exposed hematite surface and the generation of environmentally persistent free radicals during catechol degradation

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) have drawn increasing attention. It is reported that EPFR formation is dependent on the presence of transition metals; however the size of the metal particles is ignored. In this study, we hypothesized that transition metals in smaller particle sizes could more efficiently promote the generation of EPFRs and thus have higher risks. Nanosized hematite (nanoHMT) and microsized hematite (microHMT) were studied and compared. We monitored the degradation of catechol and the generation of EPFRs under both dark and ultraviolet light conditions. Catechol degradation was inhibited in the presence of hematite in the dark, with more significant inhibition by nanoHMT. However, under ultraviolet light, catechol degradation was promoted by hematite, with more significant promotion by nanoHMT. The yield of free radicals in the nanoHMT system was always higher than that in the microHMT system. More dimers were detected in the nanoHMT system, which may have played an important role in stabilizing free radicals. More trivalent Fe was converted to divalent Fe in the nanoHMT system than in the microHMT system. The relatively more active sites for the catechol interaction promoted EPFR generation. These results highlighted that size-dependent reactions should be well considered when predicting the environmental behavior and risks of organic contaminants.

UV/H2O2 oxidation of tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate: Intermediate products, degradation pathway and toxicity evaluation

Tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) with the initial concentration of 5 mg/L was degraded by UV/H₂O₂ oxidation process. The removal rate of TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system was 89.1% with the production of Cl^- and PO₄^3- of 0.23 and 0.64 mg/L. The removal rate of total organic carbon of the reaction was 48.8% and the pH reached 3.3 after the reaction. The oxidative degradation process of TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system obeyed the first order kinetic reaction with the apparent rate constant of 0.0025 min^-1 (R²=0.9788). The intermediate products were isolated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. The addition reaction of HO• and H₂O and the oxidation reaction with H₂O₂ were found during the degradation pathway of 5 mg/L TCEP in the UV/H₂O₂ system. For the first time, environment risk was estimated via the "ecological structure activity relationships" program and acute and chronic toxicity changes of intermediate products were pointed out. The luminescence inhibition rate of photobacterium was used to evaluate the acute toxicity of intermediate products. The results showed that the toxicity of the intermediate products increased with the increase of reaction time, which may be due to the production of chlorine compounds. Some measures should be introduced to the UV/H₂O₂ system to remove the highly toxic Cl-containing compounds, such as a nanofiltration or reverse osmosis unit.

Mathematical Modeling Approaches for Assessing the Joint Toxicity of Chemical Mixtures Based on Luminescent Bacteria: A Systematic Review

Developments in industrial applications inevitably accelerate the discharge of enormous substances into the environment, whereas multi-component mixtures commonly cause joint toxicity which is distinct from the simple sum of independent effect. Thus, ecotoxicological assessment, by luminescent bioassays has recently brought increasing attention to overcome the environmental risks. Based on the above viewpoint, this review included a brief introduction to the occurrence and characteristics of toxic bioassay based on the luminescent bacteria. In order to assess the environmental risk of mixtures, a series of models for the prediction of the joint effect of multi-component mixtures have been summarized and discussed in-depth. Among them, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) method which was widely applied in silico has been described in detail. Furthermore, the reported potential mechanisms of joint toxicity on the luminescent bacteria were also overviewed, including the Trojan-horse type mechanism, funnel hypothesis, and fishing hypothesis. The future perspectives toward the development and application of toxicity assessment based on luminescent bacteria were proposed.

Adsorption behavior of Cr(VI) by magnetically modified Enteromorpha prolifera based biochar and the toxicity analysis

Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) biomass collected from a lake in China was employed for biochar production. The EP biochar was magnetically modified by loading γ-Fe₂O₃ particles on the surface, and Cr(VI) adsorption behavior and mechanism were evaluated. The magnetic biochar had higher surface polarity, specific surface area and exhibited a higher Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of 95.23 mg/g biochar compared with pristine EP biochar. The pronounced electron spin resonance (ESR) signals showed that the environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) preferred to form at lower pyrolysis temperature and lower transition metal concentration. The g factors of BC400, BC800 and BCF400 were 1.8959, 1.7955 and 1.7954, respectively, indicating that the EPFRs mainly used carbon atom as center. In addition, biological toxicity of magnetic EP biochar was tested using the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus. Exposure of S. obliquus cells to magnetic biochar led to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. The leaching solution toxicity of BCF400 was stronger than BCF800. Thus, the magnetic EP biochar prepared at higher temperature (such as BCF800) provide better Cr (VI) performance with low biologic toxicity. And the EP biomass could be a promising low-cost feedstock for biochar production.

Evolution and stabilization of environmental persistent free radicals during the decomposition of lignin by laccase

Soil microbial enzymes may induce lignin decomposition, accompanied by generation of free radicals. The evolution of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) during laccase-catalyzed lignin decomposition remains unclear. Characterization by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed gradually increased concentration of EPFRs, with maximum levels within 6 h that remained constant, accompanied by the increase in g-factor from 2.0037 to 2.0041. The results suggested the generation of oxygen-centered radicals on lignin. The EPFRs produced on solid samples slowly decreased by 17.2% over 17 d. ROS were also detected to have a similar trend as that of the evolution of EPFRs. Scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses suggested the demethylation and oxidation of lignin. We clarify the biogeochemical transformation of lignin and potential contributions to the generation of EPFRs and ROS in soil.

Machine learning for mixture toxicity analysis based on high-throughput printing technology

Analysis on mixture toxicity (Mix-tox) of the multi-chemical space is constantly followed with interest for many researchers. Conventional toxicity tests with time-consuming and costly operations make researchers can only establish some toxicity prediction models aiming to a limited sampling dimension. The rapid development of machine learning (ML) algorithm will accelerate the exploration of many fields involving toxicity analysis. Rather than the model calculation capacity, the challenge of this process mainly comes from the lack of toxicology big-data to perform toxicity perception through the ML model. In this paper, a full strategy based a standardized high-throughput experiment was developed for Mix-tox analysis throughout the whole routine, from big-sample dataset design, model building, and training, to the toxicity prediction. Using the concentration variates as input and bio-luminescent inhibition rate as output, it turned out that a well-trained random forest algorithm was successfully applied to assess the mixtures' toxicity effect, suggesting its value in facilitating adoption of Mix-tox analysis.