Novel heterogeneous Fenton catalysts for promoting carbon iron electron transfer by one-step hydrothermal synthesization.

Carbon materials play a crucial role in promoting the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle in heterogeneous Fenton reactions. However, the electron transfer efficiency between carbon and iron is typically low. In this study, we prepared a novel heterogeneous Fenton catalyst, humboldtine/hydrothermal carbon (Hum/HTC), using a one-step hydrothermal method and achieved about 100 % reduction in Fe(III) during synthesis. Moreover, the HTC continuously provided electrons to promote Fe(II) regeneration during the Fenton reaction. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and quenching experiments showed that Hum/HTC completely oxidized As(III) to As(V) via free radical and non-free radical pathways. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) analyses revealed that monodentate mononuclear (MM) and bidentate binuclear (BB) structures were the dominant bonding methods for As(V) immobilization. 40 %Hum/HTC exhibited a maximum As(III) adsorption capacity of 167 mg/g, which was higher than that of most reported adsorbents. This study provides a novel strategy for the efficient reduction of Fe(III) during catalyst synthesis and demonstrates that HTC can continuously accelerate Fe(II) regeneration in heterogeneous Fenton reactions.

Foliar application of the sulfhydryl compound 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid inhibits cadmium, lead, and arsenic accumulation in rice grains by promoting heavy metal immobilization in flag leaves.

Mixed pollution due to heavy metals (HMs), especially cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As), seriously endangers the safety of food produced in paddy soil. In the field experiments, foliar application of 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) at the flowering stage was found to significantly reduce the levels of Cd, Pb, total As, and inorganic As (iAs) in rice grains by 47.95%, 61.76%, 36.37%, and 51.24%, respectively, without affecting the concentration of metallonutrients, including Mn, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, and Zn. DMSA treatment significantly reduced the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and As in the panicle node, panicle neck, and rachis, while those in the flag leaves were significantly increased by up to 20.87%, 49.40%, and 32.67%, respectively. DMSA application promoted the transport of HM from roots and lower stalks to flag leaves with a maximum increase of 34.55%, 52.65%, and 46.94%, respectively, whereas inhibited the transport of HM from flag leaves to panicle, rachis, and grains. Therefore, foliar application of DMSA reduced Cd, Pb, and As accumulation in rice grains by immobilizing HMs in flag leaves. Thus, this strategy could act as a promising agronomic measure for the remediation of mixed HM contamination in paddy fields.

[Mechanism of S-allyl-L-cysteine Alleviating Cadmium Stress in Seedling Roots and Buds of Rice Seedlings].

Cd has toxic effects on rice seed germination and plant growth, which may eventually lead to decreased yield and excessive Cd content in rice grains. The potential mechanism of S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC), a natural sulfur compound derived from garlic extract, in alleviating Cd2+ stress in young roots and buds of rice seedlings was studied by a seed germination experiment. "Zhong zao 35", one of the main rice varieties in Southern China, was selected as the test material. Firstly, the alleviating effect of SAC on Cd2+ stress in rice seedling roots and buds was studied. Following this, the physiological mechanism of Cd2+ stress alleviation by SAC was examined based on the expression of the Cd transporter coding gene using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The results showed that when the Cd2+ stress concentration reached 50 µmol·L-1, the young roots and buds of rice seedlings were significantly inhibited, and when the SAC concentration reached 200 µmol·L-1, Cd2+ stress was significantly alleviated. Compared to a Cd2+ stress treatment group, the total root length, surface area, and volume of young roots was increased by 173.5%, 65.52%, and 37.04%, respectively; CAT and SOD activity in young roots and buds was increased by 212.42% and 110.76%, and 31.41% and 47.31%, respectively; MDA and GSH content was decreased by 43.09% and 34.12%, and 33.97% and 35.74%, respectively; and Cd content was decreased by 35.91% and 28.86%, respectively. The results of quantitative real-time PCR showed that the relative expression levels of OsNramp5 and OsHMA2 were significantly reduced by 33.38% and 34.99% compared with the Cd2+ stress group, respectively. However, the relative expression level of OsHMA3 was significantly increased by 33.96%. From the above experimental results, the main mechanism by which SAC reduces Cd2+ stress in the young roots and buds of rice is via the regulation of Cd transporter-encoding genes, reducing Cd2+ transport to young roots and buds, and increasing transport to vacuoles.

[Effects of Foliar Spraying of 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic Acid on Cadmium Uptake, Transport, and Antioxidant System in Rice Seedlings].

Rice contaminated by Cd has aroused widespread public concern. It is of great importance to find effective ways to reduce Cd translocation from roots to shoots and alleviate Cd stress in rice to ensuring food quality and safety. In this study, 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) was sprayed onto the leaves of rice seedlings to evaluate the feasibility of DMSA reducing Cd translocation to rice shoots and alleviating Cd stress. Therefore, seedlings of Zhongzao 35, one of the main rice cultivars in southern China, were used to study the effects of different concentrations of DMSA on the uptake and transport of Cd in rice seedlings by hydroponics. The effects of DMSA on MDA and GSH content, and activities of antioxidant enzymes such as CAT and SOD in rice seedlings, were also investigated. The results showed that after four iterations of foliar application of DMSA at concentrations of 0.2, 0.4, and 1.0 mmol·L-1, the Cd concentration in the rice seedling shoots decreased significantly with increasing DMSA spraying concentration. Compared with the control, the Cd concentration in shoots decreased by 22.1%, 39.7%, and 43.5%, respectively, but had no significant effect on the root Cd concentration. There was no significant effect on the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, or Mn in the shoot or root. The content of MDA and GSH in the shoots of rice seedlings decreased significantly after four spraying times of DMSA and the activity of CAT and SOD increased significantly, which shows that spraying DMSA alleviated the stress effect of Cd on rice seedlings. Foliar application of DMSA can significantly reduce the accumulation of Cd in rice shoots but has no significant effect on the content of six common mineral elements, and can effectively relieve the oxidative damage caused by Cd stress. DMSA has the potential to develop a foliar modulator for reducing rice grain Cd content.