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Alarcon HV, Mohl JE, Chong GW, Betancourt A, Wang Y, Leng W, White JC, Xu J. Evidence for autotrophic growth of purple sulfur bacteria using pyrite as electron and sulfur source. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0086324. [PMID: 38899885 PMCID: PMC11267869 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00863-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) are capable of anoxygenic photosynthesis via oxidizing reduced sulfur compounds and are considered key drivers of the sulfur cycle in a range of anoxic environments. In this study, we show that Allochromatium vinosum (a PSB species) is capable of autotrophic growth using pyrite as the electron and sulfur source. Comparative growth profile, substrate characterization, and transcriptomic sequencing data provided valuable insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying the bacterial utilization of pyrite and autotrophic growth. Specifically, the pyrite-supported cell cultures ("py"') demonstrated robust but much slower growth rates and distinct patterns from their sodium sulfide-amended positive controls. Up to ~200-fold upregulation of genes encoding various c- and b-type cytochromes was observed in "py," pointing to the high relevance of these molecules in scavenging and relaying electrons from pyrite to cytoplasmic metabolisms. Conversely, extensive downregulation of genes related to LH and RC complex components indicates that the electron source may have direct control over the bacterial cells' photosynthetic activity. In terms of sulfur metabolism, genes encoding periplasmic or membrane-bound proteins (e.g., FccAB and SoxYZ) were largely upregulated, whereas those encoding cytoplasmic proteins (e.g., Dsr and Apr groups) are extensively suppressed. Other notable differentially expressed genes are related to flagella/fimbriae/pilin(+), metal efflux(+), ferrienterochelin(-), and [NiFe] hydrogenases(+). Characterization of the biologically reacted pyrite indicates the presence of polymeric sulfur. These results have, for the first time, put the interplay of PSB and transition metal sulfide chemistry under the spotlight, with the potential to advance multiple fields, including metal and sulfur biogeochemistry, bacterial extracellular electron transfer, and artificial photosynthesis. IMPORTANCE Microbial utilization of solid-phase substrates constitutes a critical area of focus in environmental microbiology, offering valuable insights into microbial metabolic processes and adaptability. Recent advancements in this field have profoundly deepened our knowledge of microbial physiology pertinent to these scenarios and spurred innovations in biosynthesis and energy production. Furthermore, research into interactions between microbes and solid-phase substrates has directly linked microbial activities to the surrounding mineralogical environments, thereby enhancing our understanding of the relevant biogeochemical cycles. Our study represents a significant step forward in this field by demonstrating, for the first time, the autotrophic growth of purple sulfur bacteria using insoluble pyrite (FeS2) as both the electron and sulfur source. The presented comparative growth profiles, substrate characterizations, and transcriptomic sequencing data shed light on the relationships between electron donor types, photosynthetic reaction center activities, and potential extracellular electron transfer in these organisms capable of anoxygenic photosynthesis. Furthermore, the findings of our study may provide new insights into early-Earth biogeochemical evolutions, offering valuable constraints for understanding the environmental conditions and microbial processes that shaped our planet's history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo V. Alarcon
- Environmental Science and Engineering Program, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathon E. Mohl
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
- Border Biomedical Research Center, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Grace W. Chong
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Ana Betancourt
- Border Biomedical Research Center, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Yi Wang
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Weinan Leng
- The National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jason C. White
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Environmental Science and Engineering Program, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences, the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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Zhang Q, Li Y, Peng X, Bai X, Zhang L, Zhong S, Shu X. Pyrite from acid mine drainage promotes the removal of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in karst watershed with abundant calcium carbonate. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134344. [PMID: 38678706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134344] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
More information is needed to fully comprehend how acid mine drainage (AMD) affects the phototransformation of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in karst water and sewage-irrigated farmland soil with abundant carbonate rocks (CaCO3) due to increasing pollution of AMD formed from pyrite (FeS2). The results showed FeS2 accelerated the inactivation of ARB with an inactivation of 8.7 log. Notably, extracellular and intracellular ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) also experienced rapid degradation. Additionally, the pH of the solution buffered by CaCO3 significantly influenced the photo-inactivation of ARB. The Fe2+ in neutral solution was present in Fe(II) coordination with strong reducing potential and played a crucial role in generating •OH (7.0 μM), which caused severe damage to ARB, ARGs, and MGEs. The •OH induced by photo-Fenton of FeS2 posed pressure to ARB, promoting oxidative stress response and increasing generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultimately damaging cell membranes, proteins and DNA. Moreover, FeS2 contributed to a decrease in MIC of ARB from 24 mg/L to 4 mg/L. These findings highlight the importance of AMD in influencing karst water and sewage-irrigated farmland soil ecosystems. They are also critical in advancing the utilization of FeS2 to inactivate pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Xinyi Peng
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Xue Bai
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Lishan Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Shan Zhong
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Xiaohua Shu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China.
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Shu X, Qin Z, Nie C, Zhang D, Du H, Zhang Q, Dang Z. Inhibition photooxidation of pyrite under illumination via altering photogenerated carrier migration pathways: Role of DTC-TETA surface passivation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171988. [PMID: 38537811 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The oxidation of pyrite is the main cause of acidic mine drainage (AMD), which is a very serious environmental problem in numerous mining areas around the world. Previous studies have shown that passivation agents create a hydrophobic film on the surface of pyrite, effectively isolating oxygen and water. However, the presence of abundant sulfide minerals in tailings ponds may exacerbate AMD when exposed to solar radiation, due to the semiconductor properties of pyrite. It remains uncertain whether the current surface passivation coating can effectively prevent the oxidation of pyrite under light conditions. This paper is the first to investigate the passivation effect as well as the mechanism of surface passivation coating on pyrite under illumination from the perspective of materials science. The results demonstrated that the triethylenetetramine-bisdithiocarbamate (DTC-TETA) passivation coating on pyrite almost completely suppressed the photooxidation of pyrite under illumination by changing the migration path of photogenerated charge carriers. The formation of NC(S)2-Fe chelating groups provides atomic-level interface channels for DTC-TETA to transfer electrons to pyrite and creates a favorable reduction environment for pyrite. Besides, DTC-TETA coating greatly improves the electron-hole pairs recombination efficiency of pyrite, which significantly inhibits the photogenerated electron reduction of oxygen to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, DTC-TETA coating captures the photogenerated holes, avoiding direct oxidation of pyrite by holes. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the DTC-TETA coating increases the adsorption energy barrier for oxygen and water. The results extend the existing knowledge on passivation mechanisms on pyrite and hold significant implications for the future screening, evaluation, and practical application of surface passivating agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Shu
- The Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541006, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541000, PR China
| | - ZiQi Qin
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541000, PR China
| | - Changda Nie
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541000, PR China
| | - Dinghua Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541000, PR China
| | - Haijie Du
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541000, PR China.
| | - Qian Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, PR China.
| | - Zhi Dang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, PR China
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Liu R, Dai Y, Feng Y, Sun S, Zhang X, An C, Zhao S. Hydroxyl radical production by abiotic oxidation of pyrite under estuarine conditions: The effects of aging, seawater anions and illumination. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 135:715-727. [PMID: 37778841 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Pyrite is widely distributed in estuarine sediments as an inexpensive natural Fenton-like reagent, however, the mechanism on the hydroxyl radical (HO·) production by pyrite under estuarine environmental conditions is still poorly understood. The batch experiments were performed to investigate the effects of estuarine conditions including aging (in air, in water), seawater anions (Cl-, Br- and HCO3-) and light on the HO· production by pyrite oxidation. The one-electron transfer dominated the process from O2 to HO· induced by oxidation of pyrite. The Fe (oxyhydr)oxide coatings on the surface of pyrite aged in air and water consumed hydrogen peroxide while mediating the electron transfer, and the combined effect of the two resulted in a suppression of HO· production in the early stage of aging and a promotion of HO· production in the later stage of aging. Corrosion of the surface oxide layers by aggressive anions was the main reason for the inhibition of HO· production by Cl- and Br-, and the generation of Cl· and Br· may also play a role in the scavenging of HO·. HCO3- increased the average rate of HO· production through surface-CO2 complexes formed by adsorption on the surface of pyrite. The significant enhancement of HO· production under light was attributed to the formation of photoelectrons induced by photochemical reactions on pyrite and its surface oxide layers. These findings provide new insights into the environmental chemical behavior of pyrite in the estuary and enrich the understanding of natural remediation of estuarine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixue Liu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yinshun Dai
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yucheng Feng
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Shiwen Sun
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Chunjiang An
- Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada
| | - Shan Zhao
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
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Ahmed Y, Zhong J, Wang Z, Wang L, Yuan Z, Guo J. Simultaneous Removal of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, Antibiotic Resistance Genes, and Micropollutants by FeS 2@GO-Based Heterogeneous Photo-Fenton Process. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:15156-15166. [PMID: 35759741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The co-occurrence of various chemical and biological contaminants of emerging concerns has hindered the application of water recycling. This study aims to develop a heterogeneous photo-Fenton treatment by fabricating nano pyrite (FeS2) on graphene oxide (FeS2@GO) to simultaneously remove antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and micropollutants (MPs). A facile and solvothermal process was used to synthesize new pyrite-based composites. The GO coated layer forms a strong chemical bond with nano pyrite, which enables to prevent the oxidation and photocorrosion of pyrite and promote the transfer of charge carriers. Low reagent doses of FeS2@GO catalyst (0.25 mg/L) and H2O2 (1.0 mM) were found to be efficient for removing 6-log of ARB and 7-log of extracellular ARG (e-ARG) after 30 and 7.5 min treatment, respectively, in synthetic wastewater. Bacterial regrowth was not observed even after a two-day incubation. Moreover, four recalcitrant MPs (sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac, and mecoprop at an environmentally relevant concentration of 10 μg/L each) were completely removed after 10 min of treatment. The stable and recyclable composite generated more reactive species, including hydroxyl radicals (HO•), superoxide radicals (O2• -), singlet oxygen (1O2). These findings highlight that the synthesized FeS2@GO catalyst is a promising heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst for the removal of emerging contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunus Ahmed
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Department of Chemistry, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Chattogram 4349, Bangladesh
| | - Jiexi Zhong
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiliang Wang
- Nanomaterials Centre, School of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Lianzhou Wang
- Nanomaterials Centre, School of Chemical Engineering and Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Straw Biochar at Different Pyrolysis Temperatures Passivates Pyrite by Promoting Electron Transfer from Biochar to Pyrite. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10102148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
To control acid mine drainage (AMD) at source, biochar, a new green and environmentally friendly passivator has been introduced to passivate pyrite. However, the raw material and pyrolysis temperature largely determine the physical and chemical properties of biochar, the causal relationship between biochar and pyrite and the underlying mechanism are still unknown. Here, biochar materials (rice-straw biochar (RSB) and sugarcane bagasse biochar (SBB)) at different pyrolysis temperatures (300–600 °C) were utilized for the passivation of pyrite. The results of our investigations revealed that the passivation ability of RSB was superior to that of SBB. The addition of RSB with higher pyrolysis temperatures could greatly enhance the passivation efficiency of pyrite. RSB-500 (produced at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C) achieved the best passivation effect on pyrite. RSB can form Fe-O bonds through C=O bonding with pyrite. Moreover, the addition of RSB created a reducing environment in the mixture system because of its strong electron-donation capacity (EDC) and altered the energy-band structure of pyrite, which promoted the transfer of electrons from biochar to pyrite. On the contrary, the addition of SBB did not result in the formation of Fe-O bonds with pyrite. In addition, the EDC of SBB was also lower than that of RSB and it had almost no effect on the band structure of pyrite. Hence it did not alter the direction of the electron migration. These findings shed light on the mechanism of biochar passivation of pyrite and provide a theoretical foundation for selecting suitable biochar materials for AMD prevention at source.
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Bai X, Ma W, Zhang Q, Zhang L, Zhong S, Shu X. Photon-induced redox chemistry on pyrite promotes photoaging of polystyrene microplastics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 829:154441. [PMID: 35288142 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The mineral particles in sediment could affect polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) prosperity through physical and chemical interactions. Pyrite with semiconducting properties is the most abundant metal sulfide mineral in the sediments of lake and river mouths. The widespread sunlight and the coexistence of PS-MPs and pyrite in lake or river water due to frequently water fluctuation is a typical photoaging environment for PS-MPs. The oxidation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from pyrite would degrade the PS-MPs in theory. However, researches about photoaging of PS-MPs mediated by pyrite are paucity. Here, we investigated the photoaging process of PS-MPs affected by pyrite under simulated light condition. Remarkably, surface morphology of PS-MPs mediated by pyrite was broken. And the oxygen-containing functional group of PS-MPs increased, as revealed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle test. 2D-COS analysis showed photoaging of PS-MPs with pyrite happened in the following order: C-H > C=C > C=O > C-O > OH. The photoaging of PS-MPs and transformation of intermediate were accelerated by ROS (O2·-, ·OH and 1O2) generated from pyrite. The free ·OH may play a major role in the promotion. Because the interfacial ROS reactions on pyrite surface were limited due to the electrostatic repulsion between pyrite and PS-MPs. The study explored photoaging behavior of PS-MPs accelerated by pyrite, which could be helpful for understanding photon-induced redox chemistry on PS-MPs via widespread sulfide metal minerals on earth's surface and providing further information to assess potential risks of PS-MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Bai
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Weishi Ma
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China.
| | - Lishan Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Shan Zhong
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China
| | - Xiaohua Shu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, Guangxi 541000, China.
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