Inhibitory effect of polyethylene microplastics on roxarsone degradation in soils.

Roxarsone (3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, Rox(V)), an extensively used organoarsenical feed additive, enters soils through the application of Rox(V)-containing manure and further degrades to highly toxic arsenicals. Microplastics, as emerging contaminants, are also frequently detected in soils. However, the effects of microplastics on soil Rox(V) degradation are unknown. A microcosm experiment was conducted to investigate soil Rox(V) degradation responses to polyethylene (PE) microplastics and the underlying mechanisms. PE microplastics inhibited soil Rox(V) degradation, with the main products being 3-amino-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid [3-AHPAA(V)], N-acetyl-4-hydroxy-m-arsanilic acid [N-AHPAA(V)], arsenate [As(V)], and arsenite [As(III)]. This inhibition was likely driven by the decline in soil pH by PE microplastic addition, which may directly enhance Rox(V) sorption in soils. The decreased soil pH further suppressed the nfnB gene related to nitroreduction of Rox(V) to 3-AHPAA(V) and nhoA gene associated with acetylation of 3-AHPAA(V) to N-AHPAA(V), accompanied by a decrease in the relative abundance of possible Rox(V)-degrading bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonadales), although the diversity, composition, network complexity, and assembly of soil bacterial communities were largely influenced by Rox(V) rather than PE microplastics. Our study emphasizes microplastic-induced inhibition of Rox(V) degradation in soils and the need to consider the role of microplastics in better risk assessment and remediation of Rox(V)-contaminated soils.

Metal accumulation in the tissues of grass carps (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) from fresh water around a copper mine in Southeast China.

Mining effluents are the main source of metals in the surrounding aquatic environment. The mining district of Purple Mountain has a history of copper mining for more than 30 years, but there is limited investigation of metal bioaccumulation in the aquatic creatures from the Tingjiang river catchment affected by the mining activities. In this study, we collected grass carps (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) from four sites, and analyzed the accumulation of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in ten tissues (scale, skin, muscle, gill, liver, kidney, fish maw, heart, stomach, and intestine) of the fish samples. Among all tissue samples, the highest concentrations (micrograms per gram wet weight) of Ni (0.263), Cu (69.2), Zn (84.0), As (0.259), Cd (0.640), Hg (0.051), and Pb (0.534) were noted in the liver, gill, and kidney tissues, whereas the highest concentrations of Cr (0.356) and Mn (62.7) were detected in the skin and intestine, respectively. These results gave a better understanding of the variability of metals distribution in different fish tissues. In comparison with the sample sites, metals (especially Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Pb) in liver, gill, kidney, stomach, and intestine showed more inter-site differences than other tissues. The inter-site differences also revealed that site 1 and 2 increased fish uptake of Cu, Zn, Ni, and Pb, which may indicate that the copper mine and urban effluents contributed to high levels of these metals in aquatic environments in site 1 and 2. A potential food safety issue may emerge depending on the mining activities in this region because some metals in a few tissue samples exceeded the guideline values for human consumption of fish.

[Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Mangrove Sediments in the Jiulong River Estuary and the Association with Heavy Metals].

The abundance and morphological characteristics of microplastics in the surface sediments of mangrove wetlands in the Jiulong River estuary were analyzed. The main sources of microplastics were also explored in detail. The results showed that the abundance of microplastics ranged from 640 to 1140 n·kg-1 (dry sediment), with an average of 935 n·kg-1, exhibiting a medium level compared with other domestic and abroad mangrove areas. The microscopic observation found that the microplastics were granular (39%), fragmented (31%), and fibrous (30%); the color was mainly transparent (55%); and the particle size was less than 1 mm (92%). As observed via Raman spectroscopy, the main polymer types of the microplastics were identified to be polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene, accounting for 57%, 34%, and 9%, respectively. The main sources of microplastics were the plastic waste from aquaculture nearby, urban and rural domestic or industrial wastewater in the basin, and the plastic waste transported here by the tide. Additionally, SEM-EDS results showed that the surface of the microplastics had the characteristics of depression, porosity, and tearing, and some heavy metal elements such as Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu were attached to the microplastics. Microplastics may be transferred to the sediments as carriers of heavy metals, posing a potential threat to wetland ecological security.

Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenic in Leptolyngbya boryana.

Leptolyngbya boryana (L. boryana) is a typical filamentous cyanobacterium that is widely distributed in aquatic ecosystems and is considered to play an important role in the arsenic biogeochemical cycle. Our results showed that L. boryana resisted arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) concentrations up to 0.25 mM and 5 mM, respectively. When exposed to 100 µM As(III) or As(V) for 4 weeks, L. boryana accumulated as much arsenic as 570.0 mg kg-1 and 268.5 mg kg-1, respectively. After the 4-week exposure to As(III) and As(V), organoarsenicals including dimethylarsenate (DMAs(V)) and oxo-arsenosugar-phosphate (Oxo-PO4) were detected in the cells of L. boryana, while inorganic arsenic, especially As(V), was still the main species in both the cells and medium. Furthermore, arsenic oxidation was observed to be solely caused by L. boryana cells and was considered the dominant detoxification pathway. In conclusion, due to its powerful arsenic accumulation, biotransformation, and detoxification abilities, L. boryana might play an important role in arsenic remediation in aquatic environments.

[Accumulation and Biotransformation in Typical Freshwater Algae Species Influenced by Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Under Long-term Exposure].

In the present study, the accumulation and biotransformation of arsenate in typical freshwater algae species were examined under long-term influence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2). Results showed that different algae species had largely varied capacities of accumulation and biotransformation of arsenate. The arsenic accumulation reached (819.66±11.25) µg·g-1 DW in Scenedesmus obliquus, which was higher than that in Microcystis aeruginosa of (355.95±8.31) µg·g-1 DW. Nano-TiO2 increased arsenic accumulation in these exposed algae species, and then reduced arsenic levels in the relative culture media. Furthermore, nano-TiO2 improved arsenic biotransformation in the exposed algae, and the organic arsenic was dimethylarsinous acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonous acid (MMA) in Microcystis aeruginosa and Scenedesmus obliquus, respectively. Additionally, the release of organic arsenic was lower from the exposed algae in nano-TiO2 treatments than in the control, indicating that nano-TiO2 couldn't stimulate the release of organic arsenic from algae under long-term exposure. These results could improve insights on the ecological risk of nano-TiO2 associated with arsenic in the environment.

[Response of Microcystis aeruginosa Growth to Arsenate Under Different Phosphorus Regimes].

To better understand and then to predict the ecological risk of arsenic influenced by phosphorus regimes in freshwater environment, the growth differences of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) as well as its responses to the toxic stress of arsenate [As(Ⅴ)]were investigated under orthophosphate (DIP) and dissolved organic phosphorous (DOP) [adenosine triphosphate (ATP-P) and ß-sodium glycerophosphate (ß-P)] culture conditions. The results showed that M. aeruginosa grew and proliferated without any differences under DOP and DIP conditions during the first 5 days, while slower growth rates were observed in DOP conditions. Herein, the cell optical density (D) of M. aeruginosa in ß-P and ATP-P conditions was 78.0% and 75.4% of that under DIP condition respectively on the 7th day. The negative correlations between actual quantum yield (Yield) and Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) and D indicated that Yield should not be used as a stable index to reflect the nutrition conditions of algae. However, Yield was a sensitive index to exactly represent the responses of M. aeruginosa to As(Ⅴ) toxicity, which showed significant differences under different phosphorus regimes. Obtained by D, Yield and Chl-a, the 96h EC50 was in the order of DIP > ß-P > ATP-P. The similar toxic tolerant abilities to As(Ⅴ) of M. aeruginosa under ß-P and ATP-P conditions were lower than that of EC50 under DIP conditions by one to five orders of magnitude.

[Effect of dissolved oxygen on diversity of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in enrichment culture from estuarine wetland surface sediments and ammonia-oxidizing rate].

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is one of the important environmental factors influencing the ammonia oxidation process. In order to examine the effects of DO on ammonia oxidation process and its potential mechanisms, surface sediments from Jiulong River Estuarine Wetland were collected and cultured to obtain enrichment cultures. Then the enrichment cultures were inoculated under different levels of DO, and the diversity of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms was analyzed using PCR-DGGE technique to determine the effect of DO on the ammonia oxidation rate and the ammonia-oxidizing microorganism diversity. Results showed that the Shannon index was 2. 00 and 2.05 for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) under saturated and aerobic conditions, respectively, and the values were 2.49 (saturated) and 2.03 (aerobic) for ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). However, this index was 1.76 and 1.80 for AOB under hypoxia and anaerobic condition, and 1.27 and 2. 21 for AOA. Under saturated and aerobic conditions ( higher DO level), the ammonia-oxidizing rates were 14.20 mg.(L.d)-1 and 13.36 mg.(L.d)-1 and the related conversation rates of NH+4 -N were 93.8% and 88. 2% , respectively. In comparison, under hypoxia and anaerobic conditions (lower DO level), the ammonia-oxidizing rates were 7.82 mg.(L.d) -1 and 5.66 mg.(L.d)-1 and the related conversation rates of NH+4 -N were 51.7% and 37.4% , respectively. The correlation analysis showed that DO concentration was highly significantly positively correlated with the ammonia oxidation rate, and was significantly positively correlated with the AOB diversity index; DO and ammonia oxidation rate had no correlation with indices of AOA community.

[Contribution of plant litters to sediments organic matter in Jiulong river estuary wetland].

The purpose of this study was to characterize the decomposition process of different plant litters and its controlling factors, and to quantify the different contribution rates to sediments organic matter throughout the decomposition of different plant litters. Results showed that the decomposition rates of plant litters buried at medium tidal level were 0.655 a(-1) for mangrove and 1.723 a(-1) for Spartina, which were greater than those with 0.651 a(-1) for mangrove and 1.586 a(-1) for Spartina at high tidal level. The reduction of carbon concentration in plant litters at high tidal level was lower than that at medium tidal level, while the increment of nitrogen and sulfur concentrations in plant litters at high tidal level was greater than those at medium tidal. And the isotope abundance of carbon (delta13C) in plant litters at medium tidal level reduced much more significantly than that at high tidal level. The contribution rates of plant litters carbon to sediments organic matter differed among tidal levels, plant species and decomposition duration. Specifically, the decomposition of mangrove litters contributed 5.96% to the sediment organic matter at medium tidal level, which was greater than that (3.03%) at high tidal level. Similarly, the decomposition of Spartina litters contributed 14.81% to the sediment organic matter at medium tidal level, which was also greater than that (13.97%) at high tidal level. The contribution of the decomposition of Spartina litters organic matter (average with 14.39%) was greater than that of mangrove litters (4.50%). The decomposition of plant litters requires a long process. The contribution of plant litters to sediments organic matter throughout one year decomposition was lower than that in complete decomposition, in particular, mangrove litters. Our study showed that the quantitative differences in plant litters-derived sediment organic matter would improve the proper estimation of the contribution of litters to wetland organic matter.