Differential aggregation of polystyrene and titanium dioxide nanoparticles under various salinity conditions and against multiple proteins types

The interaction of nanoplastics (NPls) and engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) with organic matter and environmental pollutants is particularly important. Therefore, their behavior should be investigated under the different salinity conditions, mimicking rivers and coastal environments, to understand this phenomenon in those areas. In this work, we analyzed the elementary characteristics of polystyrene-PS (unmodified surface and modified with amino or carboxyl groups) and titanium dioxide-TiO2 nanoparticles. The effect of salinity on their colloidal properties was studied too. Also, the interaction with different types of proteins (bovine serum albumin-BSA and tilapia proteins), as well as the formation of the BSA corona and its effect on the colloidal stability of nanoparticles, were evaluated. The morphology and dispersion of sizes were more uniform in unmodified-surface PS-NPs (70.5?±?13.7 nm) than in TiO2-NPs (131.2?±?125.6 nm). Likewise, Rama spectroscopy allowed recognizing peaks associated with the PS phenyl group aromatic ring in unmodified-surface PS-NPs (621, 1002, 1582, and 1602 cm^?1). For TiO2-NPs, the data suggest belonging to the tetragonal form, also known as rutile (445, 610 cm^?1). The elevation of salinity dose-dependently decreased NP colloid stability, with more significant variation in the PS-NPs compared to TiO2-NPs. The organic matter is also involved in this phenomenon, differentially as a function of time compared to its absence (unmodified-surface PS-NPs 30 psu/TOC 5 mgL^?1/24 h: 2876.6?±?378.03 nm; unmodified-surface PS-NPs 30 psu/24 h: 2133?±?49.57 nm). In general, the TiO2-NPs demonstrated greater affinity with all proteins tested (0.066 g/L). It was observed that morphology, size, and surface chemical modification intervene in a relevant way in the interaction of the nanoparticles with bovine serum albumin (unmodified-surface PS-NPs 298 K: 6.08E⁺⁰²; 310 K: 6.63E⁺⁰²; TiO2-NPs 298 K: 8.76E⁺⁰²; 310 K: 1.05E⁺⁰³ L mol^?1) and tilapia tissues proteins (from blood, gills, liver, and brain). Their morphology and size also determined the protein corona formation and the NPs’ agglomeration. These findings can provide references during knowledge transfer between NPls and ENPs.

     

Chlorine cycling and the fate of Cl in terrestrial environments

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Chlorine (Cl) in the terrestrial environment is of interest from multiple perspectives, including the use of chloride as a tracer for water flow and...     

Combined effects of human pressures on Europe’s marine ecosystems

Marine ecosystems are under high demand for human use, giving concerns about how pressures from human activities may affect their structure, function, and status. In Europe, recent developments in mapping of marine habitats and human activities now enable a coherent spatial evaluation of potential combined effects of human activities. Results indicate that combined effects from multiple human pressures are spread to 96% of the European marine area, and more specifically that combined effects from physical disturbance are spread to 86% of the coastal area and 46% of the shelf area. We compare our approach with corresponding assessments at other spatial scales and validate our results with European-scale status assessments for coastal waters. Uncertainties and development points are identified. Still, the results suggest that Europe’s seas are widely disturbed, indicating potential discrepancy between ambitions for Blue Growth and the objective of achieving good environmental status within the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.Supplementary informationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01482-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Assessing the perceived impact of exploration and production of hydrocarbons on households perspective of environmental regulation in Ghana

This paper seeks to critically study the perceived impacts of the exploration of hydrocarbons in selected coastal communities in the Western region, the oil and gas industry benefits to local communities, and to determine whether hydrocarbon development is a means for sustainable development. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches using a questionnaire survey, key informant interview, and focus group discussion tools to understand the impact of oil and gas exploration and production in selected affected communities along the coast of Ghana. The activities of oil production and exploration impact negatively on communities; it also leads to a sharp increase in food prices thereby increasing their costs of living. The activity has also caused a decline in fish catch levels which happens to be the main economic activity as a result of exclusion zones created by oil companies which limited the extent fishermen can go fishing. In terms of infrastructure, the three communities are lacking, 77% of respondents from Princess Town hold the view that there is no motorable road linking their community in the next town and 60% from Aketakyi also hold the same view. Infrastructure such as roads, schools, water provision, and clinics are woefully provided in these communities.

     

The uptake of uranium by Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut) in the Ranger Uranium Mine constructed wetland filter

Eleocharis dulcis has proliferated in a constructed wetland used to treat uranium mine runoff water, where it rapidly accumulates significant quantities of uranium (U) in its roots and relatively little in its stems. We investigated the mechanism of U uptake and accumulation by E. dulcis using field-sampling techniques and microcosm test work. Results from the microcosm trials and outcomes from statistical tests of field sampled macrophyte, water and sediment indicate that the primary source of U for E. dulcis is the water column. Basipetal translocation of U to the plant's roots was indicated by significant correlations between the U content of stems, taproots and rhizomes and XPS detection of U inside root segments. U sequestering from sediment interstitial water by Fe hydroxides on root surfaces was also evident. No basipetal translocation was evident following the 28-day duration of the microcosm experiments, indicating that it is a longer-term process.     

Laboratory leaching studies of oryzalin and diuron through three undisturbed vineyard soil columns

The leaching of diuron and oryzalin through undisturbed soil columns was studied in the laboratory using three vineyard soils from Vosne-Romanée (Burgundy): a rendosol, a calcosol and a vegetated calcosol. After 845 mm of simulated rainfall in 15 days, soil leachates contained higher amounts of diuron (3.2%, 11.8% and 18.8% of applied diuron, respectively) than oryzalin (0.2%, 4.9%, 3.7%, respectively). A greater proportion of soil extractable residues was obtained for diuron (42.5%, 26.8% and 32.2%, respectively) than for oryzalin (14.7%, 12% and 15.5%, respectively). The greater mobility of diuron might be related to its higher water solubility (36.4 mgl(-1) compared with 2.6 mgl(-1) for oryzalin) and smaller adsorption coefficient (400 lkg(-1), compared with 700-1100 lkg(-1) for oryzalin). The mobility of the two herbicides was greater in the two calcosols than in the rendosol, not only due to different organic carbon contents but also different soil textures and structures.     

Simulation of global warming potential (GWP) from rice fields in the Tai-Lake region,China by coupling 1:50,000 soil database with DNDC model

Quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wetland ecosystems is a relatively new issue in global climate change studies. China has approximately 22% of the world's rice paddies and 38% of the world's rice production, which are crucial to accurately estimate the global warming potential (GWP) at regional scale. This paper reports an application of a biogeochemical model (DeNitrification and DeComposition or DNDC) for quantifying GWP from rice fields in the Tai-Lake region of China. For this application, DNDC is linked to a 1:50,000 soil database, which was derived from 1107 paddy soil profiles compiled during the Second National Soil Survey of China in the 1980–1990s. The simulated results show that the 2.34 Mha of paddy soil cultivated in rice–wheat rotation in the Tai-Lake region emitted about ?1.48 Tg C, 0.84 Tg N and 5.67 Tg C as CO₂, N₂O, and CH₄ respectively, with a cumulative GWP of 565 Tg CO₂ equivalent from 1982 to 2000. As for soil subgroups, the highest GWP (26,900 kg CO₂ equivalent ha^?1 yr^?1) was linked to gleyed paddy soils accounting for about 4.4% of the total area of paddy soils. The lowest GWP (5370 kg CO₂ equivalent ha^?1 yr^?1) was associated with submergenic paddy soils accounting for about 0.32% of the total area of paddy soils. The most common soil in the area was hydromorphic paddy soils, which accounted for about 53% of the total area of paddy soils with a GWP of 12,300 kg CO₂ equivalent ha^?1 yr^?1. On a regional basis, the annual averaged GWP in the polder, Tai-Lake plain, and alluvial plain soil regions was distinctly higher than that in the low mountainous and Hilly soil regions. As for administrative areas, the average annual GWP of counties in Shanghai city was high. Conversely, the average annual GWP of counties in Jiangsu province was low. The high variability in soil properties throughout the Tai-Lake region is important and affects the net greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the use of detailed soil data sets with high-resolution digital soil maps is essential to improve the accuracy of GWP estimates with process-based models at regional and national scales.     

Air pollutant concentrations near three Texas roadways,Part I: Ultrafine particles

Vehicular emitted air pollutant concentrations were studied near three types of roadways in Austin, Texas: (1) State Highway 71 (SH-71), a heavily traveled arterial highway dominated by passenger vehicles; (2) Interstate 35 (I-35), a limited access highway north of Austin in Georgetown; and (3) Farm to Market Road 973 (FM-973), a heavily traveled surface roadway dominated by truck traffic. Air pollutants examined include carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO_x), and carbonyl species in the gas-phase. In the particle phase, ultrafine particle (UFP) concentrations (diameter < 100 nm), fine particulate matter (PM_2.5, diameter < 2.5 μm) mass and carbon content and several particle-bound organics were examined. All roadways had an upwind stationary sampling location, one or two fixed downwind sample locations and a mobile monitoring platform that characterized pollutant concentrations fall-off with increased distance from the roadways. Data reported in this paper focus on UFP while other pollutants and near-roadway chemical processes are examined in a companion paper. Traffic volume, especially heavy-duty traffic, wind speed, and proximity to the road were found to be the most important factors determining UFP concentrations near the roadways. Since wind directions were not consistent during the sampling periods, distances along wind trajectories from the roadway to the sampling points were used to study the decay characteristics of UFPs. Under perpendicular wind conditions, for all studied roadway types, particle number concentrations increased dramatically moving from the upwind side to the downwind side. The elevated particle number concentrations decay exponentially with increasing distances from the roadway with sharp concentration gradients observed within 100–150 m, similar to previously reported studies. A single exponential decay curve was found to fit the data collected from all three roadways very well under perpendicular wind conditions. No consistent pattern was observed for UFPs under parallel wind conditions. However, regardless of wind conditions, particle concentrations returned to background levels within a few hundred meters of the roadway. Within measured UFP size ranges, smaller particles (6–25 nm) decayed faster than larger ones (100–300 nm). Similar decay rates were observed among UFP number, surface, and volume.     

Soil pH effects on the interactions between dissolved zinc,non-nano- and nano-ZnO with soil bacterial communities

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are used in an array of products and processes, ranging from personal care products to antifouling paints, textiles, food additives, antibacterial agents and environmental remediation processes. Soils are an environment likely to be exposed to manmade nanoparticles due to the practice of applying sewage sludge as a fertiliser or as an organic soil improver. However, understanding on the interactions between soil properties, nanoparticles and the organisms that live within soil is lacking, especially with regards to soil bacterial communities. We studied the effects of nanoparticulate, non-nanoparticulate and ionic zinc (in the form of zinc chloride) on the composition of bacterial communities in soil with a modified pH range (from pH 4.5 to pH 7.2). We observed strong pH-dependent effects on the interaction between bacterial communities and all forms of zinc, with the largest changes in bacterial community composition occurring in soils with low and medium pH levels (pH 4.8 and 5.9). The high pH soil (pH 7.2) was less susceptible to the effects of zinc exposure. At the highest doses of zinc (2500 mg/kg dw soil), both nano and non-nano particulate zinc applications elicited a similar response in the soil bacterial community, and this differed significantly to the ionic zinc salt treatment. The results highlight the importance of considering soil pH in nanotoxicology studies, although further work is needed to determine the exact mechanisms controlling the toxicity and fate and interactions of nanoparticles with soil microbial communities.     

Isolation and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bradyrhizobium</Emphasis> sp. SR1 degrading two β-triketone herbicides

In this study, a bacterial strain able to use sulcotrione, a β-triketone herbicide, as sole source of carbon and energy was isolated from soil samples previously treated with this herbicide. Phylogenetic study based on16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the isolate has 100 % of similarity with several Bradyrhizobium and was accordingly designated as Bradyrhizobium sp. SR1. Plasmid profiling revealed the presence of a large plasmid (>50 kb) in SR1 not cured under nonselective conditions. Its transfer to Escherichia coli by electroporation failed to induce β-triketone degrading capacity, suggesting that degrading genes possibly located on this plasmid cannot be expressed in E. coli or that they are not plasmid borne. The evaluation of the SR1 ability to degrade various synthetic (mesotrione and tembotrione) and natural (leptospermone) triketones showed that this strain was also able to degrade mesotrione. Although SR1 was able to entirely dissipate both herbicides, degradation rate of sulcotrione was ten times higher than that of mesotrione, showing a greater affinity of degrading-enzyme system to sulcotrione. Degradation pathway of sulcotrione involved the formation of 2-chloro-4-mesylbenzoic acid (CMBA), previously identified in sulcotrione degradation, and of a new metabolite identified as hydroxy-sulcotrione. Mesotrione degradation pathway leads to the accumulation of 4-methylsulfonyl-2-nitrobenzoic acid (MNBA) and 2-amino-4 methylsulfonylbenzoic acid (AMBA), two well-known metabolites of this herbicide. Along with the dissipation of β-triketones, one could observe the decrease in 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibition, indicating that toxicity was due to parent molecules, and not to the formed metabolites. This is the first report of the isolation of bacterial strain able to transform two β-triketones.