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Poursat BAJ, Langenhoff AAM, Feng J, Goense J, Peters RJB, Sutton NB. Effect of ultra-high-density polyethylene microplastic on the sorption and biodegradation of organic micropollutants. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 279:116510. [PMID: 38810284 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics and organic micropollutants are two emerging contaminants that interact with each other in environmental and engineered systems. Sorption of organic micropollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides and industrial compounds, to microplastics can modify their bioavailability and biodegradation. The present study investigated the capacity of ultra-high density polyethylene particles (125 µm in diameter), before and after aging, to sorb 21 organic micropollutants at different environmentally relevant concentration. Furthermore, the biodegradation of these organic micropollutants by a biofilm microbial community growing on the microplastic surface was compared with the biodegradation by a microbial community originating from activated sludge. Among all tested organic micropollutants, propranolol (70%), trimethoprim (25%) and sotalol (15%) were sorbed in the presence of polyethylene particles. Growth of a biofilm on the polyethylene particles had a beneficial effect on the sorption of bromoxynil, caffeine and chloridazon and on the biodegradation of irbesartan, atenolol and benzotriazole. On the other hand, the biofilm limited the sorption of trimethoprim, propranolol, sotalol and benzotriazole and the biodegradation of 2,4-D. These results showed that ultra-high density polyethylene particles can affect both in a positive and negative way for the abiotic and biotic removal of organic micropollutants in wastewater. This project highlights the need for further investigation regarding the interaction between microplastics and organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste A J Poursat
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, the Netherlands.
| | - Alette A M Langenhoff
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, the Netherlands
| | - Jiahao Feng
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, the Netherlands
| | - Julianne Goense
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, the Netherlands
| | - Ruud J B Peters
- Wageningen Food Safety Research, Wageningen University & Research, Akkermaalsbos 2, Wageningen 6708 WB, the Netherlands
| | - Nora B Sutton
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 17, Wageningen 6700 AA, the Netherlands
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Wang Y, Wang Y, Shao T, Wang R, Dong Z, Xing B. Antibiotics and microplastics in manure and surrounding soil of farms in the Loess Plateau: Occurrence and correlation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133434. [PMID: 38198861 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133434] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The wide use of animal manure in farmland operations is a source of soil nutrients. However, the return of manure affected antibiotics and microplastics in the soil, thus the potential ecological risks cannot be overlooked. This study investigated the distribution of different antibiotics and microplastics and their correlation. It was found that multiple classes of veterinary antibiotics and microplastics could be detected simultaneously in most manure and soil. In manure, the average concentration of tetracycline antibiotics was higher than fluoroquinolones and sulfonamides. A much lower concentration of antibiotics was found in the soil samples relative to manure. The abundance of microplastics ranged from 21,333 to 88,333 n/kg in manure, and the average abundance was 50,583 ± 24,318 n/kg. The average abundance was 3056 ± 1746 n/kg in the soil. It confirmed that applying organic fertilizer to agricultural soil and the application of plastic mulch in farmlands introduced microplastics. Moreover, microplastics were found to be significantly correlated with antibiotics (r = 0.698, p < 0.001). The correlation between microplastics and antibiotics in soil was significantly weaker than that in manure. Farms could be the hotspot for the co-spread of microplastics and antibiotics. These findings highlighted the co-occurrence of antibiotics and microplastics in agricultural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Wang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China; Ordos Road Maintenance Service Center, Ordos Transportation Bureau, Ordos 017200, China
| | - Yanhua Wang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
| | - Tianjie Shao
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Ruiyuan Wang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Zhibao Dong
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
| | - Baoshan Xing
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
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Zhang Y, Qiu X, Luo J, Li H, How SW, Wu D, He J, Cheng Z, Gao Y, Lu H. A review of the phosphorus removal of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms in natural and engineered systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169103. [PMID: 38065508 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169103] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Increasing eutrophication has led to a continuous deterioration of many aquatic ecosystems. Polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) can provide insight into the human response to this challenge, as they initiate enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) through cyclical anaerobic phosphorus release and aerobic phosphorus uptake. Although the limiting environmental factors for PAO growth and phosphorus removal have been widely discussed, there remains a gap in the knowledge surrounding the differences in the type and phosphorus removal efficiencies of natural and engineered PAO systems. Furthermore, due to the limitations of PAOs in conventional wastewater treatment environments, there is an urgent need to find functional PAOs in extreme environments for better wastewater treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the effects of extreme conditions on the phosphorus removal efficiency of PAOs as well as the types, sources, and characteristics of PAOs. In this paper, we summarize the response mechanisms of PAOs, denitrifying polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (D-PAOs), aerobic denitrifying polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (AD-PAOs), and sulfur-related PAOs (S-PAOs). The mechanism of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in PAOs is related to the coupling cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. The genera of PAOs differ in natural and engineered systems, but PAOs have more diversity in aquatic environments and soils. Recent studies on the impact of several parameters (e.g., temperature, carbon source, pH, and dissolved oxygen) and extracellular polymer substances on the phosphorus removal efficiency of PAOs in natural and engineered systems are further discussed. Most of the PAOs screened under extreme conditions still had high phosphorus removal efficiencies (>80.0 %). These results provide a reference for searching for PAOs with different adaptations to achieve better wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Xiaoqing Qiu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Jiahao Luo
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Huishi Li
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Seow-Wah How
- Centre for Environmental and Energy Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Centre for Advanced Process Technology for Urban REsource Recovery (CAPTURE), Ghent B9000, Belgium
| | - Di Wu
- Centre for Environmental and Energy Research, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon 21985, Republic of Korea; Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Centre for Advanced Process Technology for Urban REsource Recovery (CAPTURE), Ghent B9000, Belgium
| | - Juhua He
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Zihang Cheng
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Yunan Gao
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
| | - Hui Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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Zhuang S, Wang J. Interaction between antibiotics and microplastics: Recent advances and perspective. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 897:165414. [PMID: 37429470 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Both microplastics and antibiotics are emerging pollutants, which are ubiquitous in aquatic environments. With small size, high specific surface area, and attached biofilm, microplastics are capable of adsorbing or biodegrading antibiotic pollutants across aquatic environments. However, the interactions between them are poorly understood, especially factors that affect microplastics' chemical vector effects and the mechanisms driving these interactions. In this review, the properties of microplastics and their interaction behavior and mechanisms towards antibiotics were comprehensively summarized. Particularly, the impact of weathering properties of microplastics and the growth of attached biofilm was highlighted. We concluded that compared with virgin microplastics, aged microplastics usually adsorb more types and quantities of antibiotics from aquatic environments, whilst the attached biofilm could further enhance the adsorption capacities and biodegrade some antibiotics. This review can answer the knowledge gaps of the interaction between microplastics and antibiotics (or other pollutants), offer basic information for evaluating their combined toxicity, provide insights into the distribution of both emerging pollutants in the global water chemical cycle, and inform measures to remove microplastic-antibiotic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Zhuang
- School of Environment & Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, PR China
| | - Jianlong Wang
- Laboratory of Environmental Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Radioactive Waste Treatment, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
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