Wanting Ling

Contamination and health risk assessment of PAHs in soils and crops in industrial areas of the Yangtze River Delta region, China

This is the first investigation into both soil and crop contamination and associated health risks by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in industrial areas of the Yangtze River Delta region (YRDR). Soil and crop samples were collected from farmland surrounded by three typical industries (a steelworks [SW], a petrochemical facility [PF] and a power plant [PP]), and the concentrations and health risks of PAHs in soils and crops were evaluated. The average concentrations of 16 USEPA priority PAHs in surface soil and subsoil were 471.30xa0μgxa0kg-1 and 341.40xa0μgxa0kg-1, respectively. The respective average concentrations of 16 PAHs in amaranth, spinach, Chinese chive, and rice tissues were 1710.49, 1176.96, 1218.36 and 352.12xa0μgxa0kg-1. Based on both the results of a principal component analysis (PCA) and the PAH ratios, the main sources of the PAHs in soils were determined to be the combustion of coal and petroleum. The total values of incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for males induced by both soils and crops were 2.19xa0×xa010-4, 2.53xa0×xa010-4, and 9.17xa0×xa010-4, and for females were 2.21xa0×xa010-4, 2.50xa0×xa010-4, and 9.68xa0×xa010-4 for childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, respectively. Soils contaminated with PAHs posed a lower risk than crops, but the ILCR values, 4.40xa0×xa010-5 and 3.82xa0×xa010-5 for males and females, was still much higher than the baseline value. The results of this investigation provide novel information for contamination evaluation and human health risk assessment in PAH-contaminated sites.

Understanding the sorption mechanisms of aflatoxin B1 to kaolinite, illite, and smectite clays via a comparative computational study.

In current adsorption studies of biotoxins to phyllosilicate clays, multiply weak bonding types regarding these adsorptions are not well known; the major attractive forces, especially for kaolinite and illite, are difficult to be identified as compared to smectite with exchangeable cations. Here, we discriminated the bonding types of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contaminant to these clays by combined batch experiment with model computation, expounded their bonding mechanisms which have been not quantitatively described by researchers. The observed adsorbent-to-solution distribution coefficients (Kd) of AFB1 presented in increasing order of 18.5-37.1, 141.6-158.3, and 354.6-484.7L/kg for kaolinite, illite, and smectite, respectively. Normalization of adsorbent-specific surface areas showed that adsorption affinity of AFB1 is mainly dependent on the outside surfaces of clay aggregates. The model computation and test of ionic effect further suggested that weakly electrostatic attractions ((Si/Al-OH)2⋯(OC)2) are responsible for AFB1-kaolinite adsorption (Kd, 18.5-37.1L/kg); a moderate electron-donor-acceptor attraction ((CO)2⋯K+⋯(O-Al)3) is related to AFB1-illite adsorption (Kd, 141.6-158.3L/kg); a strong calcium-bridging linkage ((CO)2⋯Ca2+⋯(O-Si)4) is involved in AFB1-smectite adsorption (Kd, 354.6-484.7L/kg). Changes in Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) suggested that the computed result is reliable, providing a good reproduction of AFB1-clay interaction.

Polyphenol oxidase activity in subcellular fractions of tall fescue contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Understanding enzyme responses to contamination with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is a key step in the elucidation of POP metabolic mechanisms in plants. However, there is little information available on enzyme activity in subcellular fractions of POP-contaminated plants. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in cell fractions of plants under contamination stress from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using a greenhouse batch technique. Three parameters, E(cell), E(cell-n), and P(cell), denoting the amount of PPO activity, cell fraction content-normalized PPO activity, and proportion of PPO activity in each cell fraction, respectively, were used in this study. Contamination with phenanthrene, as a representative PAH, at a relatively high level (>0.23 mg L⁻¹) in culture solution generally stimulated PPO activity in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) roots and shoots and their cellular fractions. The amount and distribution proportion of PPO activity in each cell fraction of phenanthrene-contaminated roots and shoots were (in descending order): cell solution > > cell wall > cell organelles. Cell solution was the dominant storage domain of PPO activity and contributed 84.0 and 82.8% of PPO activity in roots and shoots, respectively. The cell wall had the highest density of PPO activity in roots and shoots, based on the highest cell fraction content normalized PPO activity in this cell fraction. Our results provide new information on enzyme responses in plant intracellular fractions to xenobiotic POPs and fundamental information on within-plant POP metabolic mechanisms.

Composite of PAH-degrading endophytic bacteria reduces contamination and health risks caused by PAHs in vegetables

Vegetables accumulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at high concentrations when grown in contaminated sites. Inoculation with PAH-degrading endophytic bacteria (EBPAH) has been recognized as one of the most promising ways to remove PAHs from plant bodies; however, the performance of single endophytic bacteria is generally limited. This investigation used a composite of eight EBPAH to reduce the contamination and health risk posed by 16 EPA priority PAHs in vegetables including Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.) and pakchoi (Brassica campestris L.). Composite EBPAH have strong PAH degradation abilities, and more than 65% of ∑PAH were degraded after 10-day insuspension with composite EBPAH. Vegetable were contacted with composite EBPAH by seed soaking (SS) and leaf painting (LP) with an EBPAH cell incubation at OD600nm=0.2-1.5. Compared with those in non-inoculated controls, the ∑PAH concentrations in edible parts of Chinese cabbage and pakchoi colonized by composite EBPAH via SS and LP with bacterial suspension at OD600nm=0.2-1.5 were 42.07-70.77% and 15.79-53.20% lower, and the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values for males and females were 31.78-84.08% and 26.60-83.40% smaller, respectively. SS was the optimal inoculation method for reducing PAH concentrations and ILCR values. Our results indicate that inoculating plants with composite EBPAH can lower the health risk posed by vegetables contaminated with PAHs, and may be used to mitigate plant PAH contamination.

Removal of estrone, 17β-estradiol, and estriol from sewage and cow dung by immobilized Novosphingobium sp. ARI-1

ABSTRACT Immobilized bacterial agents (IBA) can increase the cell density and improve the environmental adaptability of bacteria. An estrogen-degrading bacterium, Novosphingobium sp. ARI-1, was immobilized in calcium alginate (CA) using an embedding method and applied to the removal of estrogens from natural sewage and cow dung. The optimum immobilization conditions were as follows: sodium alginate (SA) and CaCl2·2H2O concentrations of 5% (m/v) and 4% (m/v), respectively; a bacterial suspension to SA ratio of 1:2; and cross-linking for 6u2005h at 4°C. Immobilized strain ARI-1 mediated the biodegradation of estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3) either individually or in combination and was tolerant of various temperatures and pH values. Immobilized ARI-1 removed 80.43%, 94.76%, and 100% of E1, E2, and E3 from sewage containing 1.75, 0.71, and 1.52u2005μgu2005L−1 of the three test estrogens within seven days, respectively. In cow dung containing initial E1, E2, and E3 concentrations of 0.71, 0.64, and 0.66u2005mgu2005kg−1, respectively, E1 and E2 concentrations were below the limit of detection, and 1.09% of E3 remained after incubation with immobilized ARI-1 for seven days. These results confirmed the utility of immobilized strain ARI-1 for the removal of estrogens from environmental matrices.

Rhamnolipid influences biosorption and biodegradation of phenanthrene by phenanthrene-degrading strain Pseudomonas sp. Ph6

Given the sub-lethal risks of synthetic surfactants, rhamnolipid is a promising class of biosurfactants with the potential to promote the bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), to provide a favorable substitute for synthetic surfactants. However, few previous studies have integrated the behavior and mechanism behind rhamnolipid-influenced PAH biosorption and biodegradation. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of a bacterial envelope regulated link between phenanthrene (PHE) biosorption and biodegradation by rhamnolipid-induced PHE-degrading strain Pseudomonas sp. Ph6. Rhamnolipid (0─400u202fmgu202fL-1) can change the cell-surface zeta potential, cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), cell ultra-microstructure and functional groups, and then alter PHE biosorption and biodegradation of Ph6. Greater amounts of PHE sorbed on cell envelopes results in more PHE diffusing into cytochylema, thus favoring PHE intracellular biodegradation of Ph6. Rhamnolipid (≤100u202fmgu202fL-1) could change the microstructures and functional groups of cell envelopes of Ph6, enhance the cell-surface zeta potential and CSH, thus consequently favor PHE biosorption and biodegradation by strain Ph6. By contrast, rhamnolipid at higher concentrations (≥200u202fmgu202fL-1) hindered PHE biosorption and biodegradation. Rhamnolipid, as a biosurfactant, can be successfully utilized as an additive to improve the microbial biodegradation of PAHs in the environments.

Inoculation of a phenanthrene-degrading endophytic bacterium reduces the phenanthrene level and alters the bacterial community structure in wheat

Colonization by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading endophytic bacteria (PAHDEB) can reduce the PAH contamination risk in plant. However, little information is available on the impact of PAHDEB colonization on the endophytic bacterial community of inner plant tissues. A phenanthrene-degrading endophytic bacterium (PDEB), Massilia sp. Pn2, was inoculated onto the roots of wheat and subjected to greenhouse container experiments. The endophytic bacterial community structure in wheat was investigated using high-throughput sequencing technology. The majority of endophytic bacteria in wheat were Proteobacteria, and the dominant genus was Pseudomonas. Phenanthrene contamination clearly increased the diversity of endophytic bacteria in wheat. The cultivable endophytic bacteria counts in wheat decreased with increasing the level of phenanthrene contamination; the endophytic bacterial community structure changed correspondingly, and the bacterial richness first increased and then decreased. Inoculation of strain Pn2 reduced the phenanthrene contamination in wheat, enlarged the biomass of wheat roots, changed the bacterial community structure and enhanced the cell counts, diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria in phenanthrene-contaminated wheat in a contamination level-dependent manner. The findings of this investigation provide insight into the responses of endophytic bacterial community in plant to external PAH contamination and PAHDEB colonization.

Using Calcination Remediation to Stabilize Heavy Metals and Simultaneously Remove Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil

Co-contaminated soils containing heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an environmental and human health risk. Research into the remediation of these soils is imperative. In this paper, a novel investigation utilizing calcination technique to stabilize heavy metals and simultaneously remove PAHs in soil was conducted. Calcination temperature (300–700 °C) was observed to play a dominant role in heavy metal stabilization and PAH removal in soils. However, calcination time (0.5–8 h) had no significant effect on these contaminants during calcination at different temperatures. Considering the remediation cycle requirements and economic costs of engineering, we suggested that the optimal calcination condition for Zn, Cu, naphthalene, and fluoranthene was at 700 °C for 0.5 h, and the corresponding stabilization or removal efficiency values were 96.95%, 98.41%, 98.49%, and 98.04%, respectively. Results indicate that calcination as a remedial strategy exhibits a bright future for practical applications in the simultaneous stabilization of heavy metals and PAH removal from co-contaminated sites.

Application of biochar to soils may result in plant contamination and human cancer risk due to exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Biochars are added to soil to improve agronomic yield. This greenhouse- and field-scale study evaluated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in 35 commercial and laboratory-produced biochars, and assessed the effects of biochar amendment of soils on PAH accumulation in vegetables and the risk for cancer. The total and bioavailable PAH concentrations in biochars varied from 638 to 12,347u202fμg/kg and from below the detection limit (BDL) to 2792u202fμg/kg, respectively. PAH formation in biochars decreased with increasing production temperature (350-650u202f°C). Root exudates enhanced PAH release from biochars. The total PAH concentrations in eight edible vegetables growing in biochar-amended soil varied according to biochar and vegetables type from BDL to 565u202fμg/kg. A health risk assessment framework was integrated with the benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalency quotient and the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) to estimate the exposure risk for human beings via ingestion of PAH-contaminated vegetables. The total ILCR for adults was above 10-6, which suggests a risk to human health from direct exposure to PAHs in vegetables grown in biochar-amended soil. These results demonstrate that biochar application may lead to contamination of plants with PAHs, which represents a risk to human health. The PAH levels in biochars produced using different conditions and/or feedstocks need to be evaluated and biochars should be pretreated to remove PAHs before their large-scale agronomic application.

Inoculating wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with the endophytic bacterium Serratia sp. PW7 to reduce pyrene contamination

ABSTRACT This research was conducted to find an optimal inoculation way for a pyrene-degrading endophytic Serratia sp. PW7 to colonize wheat for reducing pyrene contamination. Three inoculation ways, which are soaking seeds in inocula (TS), dipping roots of seedlings in inocula (TR), and spraying inocula on leaves of seedlings (TL), were used in this study. Inoculated seedlings and noninoculated seedlings (CK) were, respectively, cultivated in Hoagland solutions supplemented with pyrene in a growth chamber. The results showed that strain PW7 successfully colonized the inoculated seedlings in high numbers, and significantly promoted the growth of seedlings (TS and TR). More importantly, strain PW7 reduced pyrene levels in the seedlings and the Hoagland solutions. Compared to the noninoculated seedlings, the pyrene contents of the inoculated seedlings were decreased by 35.7-86.3% in the shoots and by 26.8–60.1% in the roots after 8-day cultivation. By comparing the efficiencies of decreasing pyrene residues, it can be concluded that TR was an optimal inoculation way for endophytic strains to colonize the inoculated plants and to reduce the pyrene contamination. Our findings provide an optimized inoculation way to reduce organic contamination in crops by inoculating plants with functional endophytic bacteria.