Earthworm gut bacteria facilitate cadmium immobilization through the formation of CdS nanoparticles.

Gut bacteria of earthworm Amynthas hupeiensis exhibit significant potential for the in-situ remediation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil. However, the mechanisms by which these gut bacteria immobilize and tolerate Cd remain elusive. The composition of the gut bacterial community was characterized by high-throughput sequencing. Cd-tolerant bacteria were isolated from the gut, and their roles in Cd immobilization, as well as their tolerance mechanisms, were explored through chemical characterization and transcriptome analysis. The predominant taxa in the gut bacterial community included unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Citrobacter, and Bacillus, which were distinctly different from those in the surrounding soil. Notably, the most Cd-tolerant gut bacterium, Citrobacter freundii DS strain, immobilized 63.61% of Cd2+ within 96 h through extracellular biosorption and intracellular bioaccumulation of biosynthetic CdS nanoparticles, and modulation of solution pH and NH4+ concentration. Moreover, the characteristic signals of CdS were also observed in the gut content of A. hupeiensis when the sterilized Cd-contaminated soil was inoculated with C. freundii. The primary pathways involved in the response of C. freundii to Cd stress included the regulation of ABC transporters, bacterial chemotaxis, cell motility, oxidative phosphorylation, and two-component system. In conclusion, C. freundii facilitates Cd immobilization both in vitro and in vivo, thereby enhancing the host earthworm's adaptation to Cd-contaminated soil.

The toxicity of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) varies with the particle size and concentration.

How the particle size and concentration of microplastics impact their toxicity is largely unknown. Herein, the effects of polystyrene microplastics (1 µm, MPs) and nanoplastics (100 nm, NPs) exposed at 1 mg/L (L) and 10 mg/L (H), respectively, on the growth, histopathology, oxidative stress, gut microbiome, and metabolism of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) were investigated by chemical analysis and multi-omics. MPs and NPs inhibited the growth, induced histopathological injury and aggravated oxidative stress markedly with contrasting significance of particle size and concentration. The composition of core gut microbiota changed dramatically especially for the MPs-H. Similarly, gut bacterial communities were reshaped by the MPs and NPs but only NPs-H decreased both richness and Shannon indexes significantly. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the potential keystone genera underwent great changes in exposed groups compared to the control. MPs-H increased the network complexity and the frequency of positive interactions which was opposite to other exposed groups. Moreover, the metabolomic profiles associated with amino acid, lipid, unsaturated fatty acid and hormone metabolism were disturbed significantly especially for MPs-H and NPs-H. In conclusion, the toxicity of MPs depends on both the particle size and concentration, and varies with the specific indicators as well.

Recyclable magnetic Fe3O4@C for methylene blue removal under microwave-induced reaction system.

The reclamation and removal of organic pollutants are difficult issues of world concern. In this study, a microwave-induced reaction system (MIRS) is applied to synthesize the multifunctional composite of Fe3O4@C, which is employed to adsorb, separate and catalytic oxide the typical organic dye of methylene blue (MB). SEM, TEM, VSM, XPS, pHpzc, and N2 adsorption performances are carried out to characterize the Fe3O4@C. Results show that the Fe3O4@C mainly consists of activated Fe-O-C microspheres, which possess plentiful mesopore and macropore structures on surfaces. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out by varying key reaction conditions to optimize these. The maximum adsorption capacity of MB onto the Fe3O4@C was 305.0 mg g-1 in 120 min, at pH 10, and at a temperature of 323 K. MIRS was also assisted to regenerate the spent Fe3O4@C which presented good regeneration efficiency by sustaining 16 regeneration cycles without any oxidizing agent. SEM images and FTIR spectrum verified that MB would translate into greater or smaller-sized carbon microspheres. What's more, the adsorption of MB onto both initial and the 16th regenerated Fe3O4@C obeyed the Langmuir isotherm model and followed the pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics, indicating the adsorptive stability after regeneration. In this study, the Fe3O4@C combined with MIRS may be one innovative strategy for organic pollutants' complete removal in the future.

Indigenous earthworms and gut bacteria are superior to chemical amendments in the remediation of cadmium-contaminated seleniferous soils.

The natural selenium (Se)-rich areas in China are generally characterized by high geological background of cadmium (Cd) which poses potential risks to human health. Therefore, immobilization of Cd is the prerequisite to ensure the safe utilization of natural seleniferous soil resources. A pot experiment was conducted to compare the effects of indigenous earthworm (Amynthas hupeiensis) and its gut bacteria (Citrobacter freundii DS strain) on the remediation of Cd-contaminated seleniferous soil with two traditional chemical amendments. The results indicated that earthworms and DS strain decreased DGT-extractable Cd by 25.52 - 41.53% and reduced Cd accumulation in lettuce leaves by 20.83 - 37.50% compared with control through converting the exchangeable Cd (EX-Cd) into residual Cd (RE-Cd) fractions. Overall, earthworms and DS strain were more effective in Cd immobilization, growth and quality promotion, oxidative stress alleviation, Cd accumulation and bioaccessibility reduction in the soil-lettuce-human continuum than biochar and lime. Moreover, all amendments induced the antagonism between Se and Cd through increasing bioavailable Se/Cd molar ratios in soil. However, all the Cd concentrations in lettuce exceeded the maximum permissible limit of Cd for leaf vegetables, indicating that soil amendment alone could not ensure food safety. This study confirmed that biological amendments were superior to chemical amendments in the remediation of Cd-contaminated seleniferous soil.

The interaction between selenium and cadmium in the soil-rice-human continuum in an area with high geological background of selenium and cadmium.

Natural selenium (Se)-rich areas in China are generally characterized by high geological background of cadmium (Cd). However, the interaction between Se and Cd in the soil-rice-human continuum in such areas remains elusive. The concentrations, bioaccessibilities, and biomarkers of Se and Cd in a typical Se-Cd rich area were determined through chemical analysis, in vitro digestion model and cross-sectional study, respectively. The results showed that the molar ratio of available Se/Cd in the soil was averaged at 0.55 and soil Se did not reduce Cd accumulation and transportation in rice. Se bioaccessibility increased from the gastric phase to the intestinal phase, but the opposite was the case for Cd bioaccessibility. Moreover, bioaccessible concentration of Cd was positively correlated to corresponding total concentration in rice but negatively associated with the logarithm of molar ratio of Se/Cd. The risk of Cd-induced nephrotoxicity for the exposure group was not higher than the reference group, which could be ascribed to the mitigative effect of Se. Males and elders were at higher risk of Cd-induced injury owing to higher urinary Cd (U-Cd) and ß2-microglobulin (U-ß2-MG), and lower urinary Se (U-Se). Our results suggested that Cd-induced health risk should be assessed from a soil-rice-human perspective and the interaction between Se and Cd should be taken into account.

Selenium (Se) Does Not Reduce Cadmium (Cd) Uptake and Translocation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Naturally Occurred Se-Rich Paddy Fields with a High Geological Background of Cd.

This study examined the selenium (Se) and cadmium (Cd) uptake by rice from soil and analyzed the relationship between Se and Cd in naturally occurred Se-rich paddy fields with a high geological background of Cd. Significant correlations were observed between soil Se and plant biomass Se, but not between soil Cd and plant biomass Cd. High concentrations of Cd were detected in rice plants and particularly in rice grains, suggesting potential health risks to human. Contrary to results from other previous studies, our results showed that high soil Se did not reduce Cd uptake by rice, although it decreased the availability of Cd in soil. Rather, soil Se and internal Se pool in rice were positively correlated to the transfer of Cd from root to straw. The effect of Se on the uptake and translocation of Cd in rice in field is therefore different from those in pot experiments.

Two selenium tolerant Lysinibacillus sp. strains are capable of reducing selenite to elemental Se efficiently under aerobic conditions.

Microbes play important roles in the transport and transformation of selenium (Se) in the environment, thereby influencing plant resistance to Se and Se accumulation in plant. The objectives are to characterize the bacteria with high Se tolerance and reduction capacity and explore the significance of microbial origins on their Se tolerance, reduction rate and efficiency. Two bacterial strains were isolated from a naturally occurred Se-rich soil at tea orchard in southern Anhui Province, China. The reduction kinetics of selenite was investigated and the reducing product was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy. The bacteria were identified as Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus and Lysinibacillus macrolides, respectively, using morphological, physiological and molecular methods. The results showed that the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of selenite for L. xylanilyticus and L. macrolides were 120 and 220 mmol/L, respectively, while MICs of selenate for L. xylanilyticus and L. macrolides were 800 and 700 mmol/L, respectively. Both strains aerobically reduced selenite with an initial concentration of 1.0 mmol/L to elemental Se nanoparticles (SeNPs) completely within 36 hr. Biogenic SeNPs were observed both inside and outside the cells suggesting either an intra- or extracellular reduction process. Our study implied that the microbes from Se-rich environments were more tolerant to Se and generally quicker and more efficient than those from Se-free habitats in the reduction of Se oxyanions. The bacterial strains with high Se reduction capacity and the biological synthesized SeNPs would have potential applications in agriculture, food, environment and medicine.

Effect of copper tolerant Elsholtzia splendens on bacterial community associated with Commelina communis on a copper mine spoil.

Facilitation, or positive plant-plant interaction, has received increasing concern from ecologists over the last two decades. Facilitation may occur through direct mitigation of severe environments or indirect mediation by a third participant from the same or different trophic levels. The copper (Cu) tolerant species Elsholtzia splendens facilitates the establishment and growth of co-occurring Commelina communis through indirect enrichment of microbial activity. However, whether and how E. splendens impacts the microbial community that is associated with C. communis is less known. We characterized the soil bacterial community in the rhizosphere of C. communis in the absence and presence of E. splendens using PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) and sequencing. The result showed that the richness of the bacterial community increased, but diversity and evenness remained similar, in the presence of E. splendens. Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were the most dominant bacteria. The relative abundance of dominant and minor bacterial groups showed distinctly different responses to E. splendens. Principal component analysis and redundancy analysis indicated that variation of the bacterial community was determined by multiple factors and might be driven by the tested soil parameters collectively, or alternatively changed through plant root exudates or other microorganisms. Our results enhance the understanding of how the bacterial community associated with a beneficiary plant responds to a benefactor plant and suggests that the changes of bacterial community composition may have far-reaching influence on plant-soil feedback and the aboveground plant community in the long run.

[Effects of copper stress on the function of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community].

The functional differences of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) isolates from different sources have been extensively investigated in the last two decades. However, previous studies were mostly based on individual AMF species and the community level comparison was not addressed properly. Furthermore, many studies did not distinguish the difference between the effects of AMF source and community structure on their function, let alone concerned the significance of host plant. This study evaluated the effects of copper (Cu) stress on AMF community structure and compared the differences of AMF communities from Cu contaminated and uncontaminated substrates on performance of Zea mays through two short-term greenhouse pot culture experiments. The results showed that spore abundance and composition of AMF communities were changed dramatically under Cu stress compared with the control. The communities dominated by Rhizophagus intraradices and Claroideoglomus etunicatum from Cu contaminated soils conferred more benefits on Z. mays in terms of plant growth and physiological properties relative to that from control governed by Funneliformis mosseae.

Plant species coexistence alleviates the impacts of lead on Zea mays L.

Whether plant coexistence can reduce the impacts of lead (Pb) on crops in agroecosystems has not been well understood. We conducted a factorial experiment to investigate the effects of weeds coexisting with maize (Zea mays L.) on Pb accumulation in maize and soil microbes at two Pb levels (ambient and 300 mg/kg). Elevated Pb tended to increase the Pb concentration in maize and decreased soil microbial activity (indicated by the average well color development, AWCD), functional group diversity, as well as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization and vesicle number of maize. Compared to the monoculture, weeds coexisting with maize reduced the Pb concentrations in the root, leaf, sheath and stem of maize at both seedling and mature stages. In maize-weed mixtures, soil microbial activity and functional group diversity tended to increase for both Pb treatments relative to the monoculture. Furthermore, principal component analysis revealed that the soil microbial community structure changed with the introduction of weeds. The highest Pb accumulation in weeds occurred for the elevated Pb treatment in a three species mixture. The results suggest that multiple plant species coexistence could reduce lead accumulation in crop plants and alleviate the negative impacts on soil microbes in polluted land, thereby highlighting the significance of plant diversity in agroecosystems.

Genetic structure of the oriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana): implications for a breeding colony in a non-breeding area.

The oriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana) is a threatened species, and their numbers are still in decline due to habitat loss and poaching. China is a breeding and main wintering area for this animal and in recent years some individuals have been found breeding in wintering areas and at some stopover sites. These new breeding colonies are an exciting sign, however, little is understood of the genetic structure of this species. Based on the analysis of a 463-bp mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region, we investigated the genetic structure and genetic diversity of 66 wild oriental white storks from a Chinese population. We analyzed the sequences of 66 storks obtained in this study and the data of 17 storks from a Japanese population. Thirty-seven different haplotypes were detected among the 83 samples. An analysis of molecular variance showed a significant population subdivision between the two populations (F(ST) = 0.316, P < 0.05). However, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that the samples from the different populations did not form separate clusters and that there were genetic exchanges between the two populations. Compared with the Japanese population, the Chinese population had a relatively higher genetic diversity with a haplotype diversity (hπ SD) of 0.953 ± 0.013 and a nucleotide diversity (π± SD) of 0.013 ± 0.007. The high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity indicate that this population might be in a rapidly increasing period from a small effective population. A neighbor-joining tree analysis indicated that genetic exchange had occurred between the newly arisen southern breeding colony and the northern breeding colony wintering in the middle and lower Yangtze River floodplain. These results have important implications for the conservation of the oriental white stork population in China.