1
|
Adediran GA, Cox R, Jürgens MD, Morel E, Cross R, Carter H, Pereira MG, Read DS, Johnson AC. Fate and behaviour of Microplastics (> 25µm) within the water distribution network, from water treatment works to service reservoirs and customer taps. Water Res 2024; 255:121508. [PMID: 38552487 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/24/2024]
Abstract
Water treatment works have previously shown high efficiency in removing microplastics > 25 µm from raw source water. However, what is less well known is the extent to which microplastics of this size class are generated or lost within the water distribution network, particularly whether there is a greater presence in the customer tap than in the water treatment works outlet. This study focused on the presence of 21 different types of synthetic polymer particles with sizes larger than 25 µm examined through multiple rounds of sampling at outlets of water treatment works (WTW), service reservoirs (SR), and customer taps (CT) managed by seven different water companies in Britain. Nineteen different types of polymers were detected; their signature and concentration varied based on the round of sampling, the location within the water supply network, and the water company responsible for managing the supply. Among the polymers examined, polyamide (PA), polyethene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were the most commonly found. Apart from PET having its highest concentration of 0.0189 microplastic per litre (MP/L) in the SR, the concentrations of the other three most frequent polymers (PS = 0.017 MP/L, PA = 0.0752 MP/L, PP= 0.1513 MP/L) were highest in the CT. The overall prevalence of this size of microplastics in the network is low, but there was a high variability of polymer types and occurrences. These spatial and temporal variations suggested that the MP in the distribution network may exist as a series of pulses. Given the presence and polymer types, the potential for some of the microplastics to originate from materials used in the water network and domestic plumbing systems cannot be ruled out. As found before, the absolute number of microplastics in the water distribution network remained extremely low.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gbotemi A Adediran
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK.
| | - Ruairidh Cox
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Monika D Jürgens
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Elise Morel
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Richard Cross
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Heather Carter
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - M Glória Pereira
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Daniel S Read
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Andrew C Johnson
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rendell-Bhatti F, Bull C, Cross R, Cox R, Adediran GA, Lahive E. From the environment into the biomass: microplastic uptake in a protected lamprey species. Environ Pollut 2023; 323:121267. [PMID: 36804882 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between the ubiquitous presence of microplastics in the environment and exposure of biota needs to be better understood, particularly for vulnerable species and their habitats. In this study, we address the presence of microplastics in the riverine habitat of a threatened lamprey species (Lampetra sp.), both in habitats with protective interventions in place (designated as Special Areas of Conservation), and those without these protective interventions. By sampling both riverbed sediments and larval lamprey, we provide a direct comparison of the microplastic loadings in both, and insights into how knowledge of sediment loadings might predict biological uptake. Microplastic particles, analysed using micro-Fourier transform infrared (μFTIR) spectroscopy, were detected in all samples of lamprey larvae and paired sediment, ranging in abundance from 1.00 to 27.47 particles g-1 in dry lamprey gastrointestinal tract (GIT) tissue, and 0.40 to 105.41 particles g-1 in dry sediment. The most urbanised catchment exhibited the highest average microplastic particle count in both lamprey and sediment. Across sites, the microplastic abundance in lamprey GIT tissue was not correlated with that of the surrounding sediment, suggesting that either specific polymer types are retained or other factors such as larvae residence time within sediment patches may influence biological uptake. The most encountered polymer types in lamprey from their immediate habitat were polyurethane, polyamide, and cellulose acetate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to document microplastic contamination of larval lamprey in-situ, contributing another potential stressor to the population status of a vulnerable species. This highlights where further research on the impacts of plastic contamination of freshwater environments is needed to aid conservation management of this ecologically important species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Flora Rendell-Bhatti
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - Colin Bull
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Richard Cross
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Ruairidh Cox
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Gbotemi A Adediran
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Elma Lahive
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Adediran GA, Lundberg D, Almkvist G, Pradas Del Real AE, Klysubun W, Hillier S, Gustafsson JP, Simonsson M. Micro and nano sized particles in leachates from agricultural soils: Phosphorus and sulfur speciation by X-ray micro-spectroscopy. Water Res 2021; 189:116585. [PMID: 33171296 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Colloids and nanoparticles leached from agricultural land are major carriers of potentially bioavailable nutrients with high mobility in the environment. Despite significant research efforts, accurate knowledge of macronutrients in colloids and nanoparticles is limited. We used multi-elemental synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopy with multivariate spatial analysis and X-ray atomic absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the P and S K-edges, to study the speciation of P and S in two fractions of leached particles, >0.45 and <0.45 µm respectively, collected from four tile-drained agricultural sites in Sweden. P K-edge XANES showed that organic P, followed by P adsorbed to surfaces of aluminum-bearing particles were the most common forms of leached P. Iron-bound P (Fe-P) forms were generally less abundant (0-30 % of the total P). S K-edge XANES showed that S was predominantly organic, and a relatively high abundance of reduced S species suggests that redox conditions were adverse to the persistence of P bound to Fe-bearing colloids in the leachates. Acid ammonium-oxalate extractions suggested that P associated with Al and Fe (Al-P and Fe-P) in most cases could be explained by the adsorption capacity of non-crystalline (oxalate-extractable) oxides of Al and Fe. These results improve our understanding of particulate P and S speciation in the vadose zone and helps in developing effective technologies for mitigating colloidal driven eutrophication of water bodies near agricultural land.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gbotemi A Adediran
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7014, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden.
| | - Daniel Lundberg
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7015, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Almkvist
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7015, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | | | - Wantana Klysubun
- Synchrotron Light Research Institute, 111 Moo 6, Suranaree, Muang, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Stephen Hillier
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7014, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden; The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, United Kingdom
| | - Jon Petter Gustafsson
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7014, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | - Magnus Simonsson
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7014, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Song Y, Adediran GA, Jiang T, Hayama S, Björn E, Skyllberg U. Toward an Internally Consistent Model for Hg(II) Chemical Speciation Calculations in Bacterium-Natural Organic Matter-Low Molecular Mass Thiol Systems. Environ Sci Technol 2020; 54:8094-8103. [PMID: 32491838 PMCID: PMC7467648 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c01751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
To advance the scientific understanding of bacteria-driven mercury (Hg) transformation processes in natural environments, thermodynamics and kinetics of divalent mercury Hg(II) chemical speciation need to be understood. Based on Hg LIII-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopic information, combined with competitive ligand exchange (CLE) experiments, we determined Hg(II) structures and thermodynamic constants for Hg(II) complexes formed with thiol functional groups in bacterial cell membranes of two extensively studied Hg(II) methylating bacteria: Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132. The Hg EXAFS data suggest that 5% of the total number of membranethiol functionalities (Mem-RStot = 380 ± 50 μmol g-1 C) are situated closely enough to be involved in a 2-coordinated Hg(Mem-RS)2 structure in Geobacter. The remaining 95% of Mem-RSH is involved in mixed-ligation Hg(II)-complexes, combining either with low molecular mass (LMM) thiols like Cys, Hg(Cys)(Mem-RS), or with neighboring O/N membrane functionalities, Hg(Mem-RSRO). We report log K values for the formation of the structures Hg(Mem-RS)2, Hg(Cys)(Mem-RS), and Hg(Mem-RSRO) to be 39.1 ± 0.2, 38.1 ± 0.1, and 25.6 ± 0.1, respectively, for Geobacter and 39.2 ± 0.2, 38.2 ± 0.1, and 25.7 ± 0.1, respectively, for ND132. Combined with results obtained from previous studies using the same methodology to determine chemical speciation of Hg(II) in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM; Suwannee River DOM) and 15 LMM thiols, an internally consistent thermodynamic data set is created, which we recommend to be used in studies of Hg transformation processes in bacterium-NOM-LMM thiol systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Song
- Department
of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish
University of Agricultural Science, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Tao Jiang
- Department
of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish
University of Agricultural Science, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Shusaku Hayama
- Diamond
Light Source, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Erik Björn
- Department
of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ulf Skyllberg
- Department
of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish
University of Agricultural Science, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
- . Phone: +46 (0)90-786 84 60
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Adediran GA, Liem-Nguyen V, Song Y, Schaefer JK, Skyllberg U, Björn E. Microbial Biosynthesis of Thiol Compounds: Implications for Speciation, Cellular Uptake, and Methylation of Hg(II). Environ Sci Technol 2019; 53:8187-8196. [PMID: 31257868 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Cellular uptake of inorganic divalent mercury (Hg(II)) is a key step in microbial formation of neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg), but the mechanisms remain largely unidentified. We show that the iron reducing bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens produces and exports appreciable amounts of low molecular mass thiol (LMM-RSH) compounds reaching concentrations of about 100 nM in the assay medium. These compounds largely control the chemical speciation and bioavailability of Hg(II) by the formation of Hg(LMM-RS)2 complexes (primarily with cysteine) in assays without added thiols. By characterizing these effects, we show that the thermodynamic stability of Hg(II)-complexes is a principal controlling factor for Hg(II) methylation by this bacterium such that less stable complexes with mixed ligation involving LMM-RSH, OH-, and Cl- are methylated at higher rates than the more stable Hg(LMM-RS)2 complexes. The Hg(II) methylation rate across different Hg(LMM-RS)2 compounds is also influenced by the chemical structure of the complexes. In contrast to the current perception of microbial uptake of Hg, our results adhere to generalized theories for metal biouptake based on metal complexation with cell surface ligands and refine the mechanistic understanding of Hg(II) availability for microbial methylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Van Liem-Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry , Umeå University , SE- 90187 Umeå , Sweden
- School of Science and Technology , Örebro University , SE-70182 Örebro , Sweden
| | - Yu Song
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management , Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences , SE-901 83 Umeå , Sweden
| | - Jeffra K Schaefer
- Department of Environmental Sciences , Rutgers University , 14 College Farm Road , New Brunswick , New Jersey 08901 , United States
| | - Ulf Skyllberg
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management , Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences , SE-901 83 Umeå , Sweden
| | - Erik Björn
- Department of Chemistry , Umeå University , SE- 90187 Umeå , Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Adediran GA, Ngwenya BT, Mosselmans JFW, Heal KV, Harvie BA. Mixed planting with a leguminous plant outperforms bacteria in promoting growth of a metal remediating plant through histidine synthesis. Int J Phytoremediation 2016; 18:720-729. [PMID: 26682469 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2015.1131235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The effectiveness of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) in improving metal phytoremediation is still limited by stunted plant growth under high soil metal concentrations. Meanwhile, mixed planting with leguminous plants is known to improve yield in nutrient deficient soils but the use of a metal tolerant legume to enhance metal tolerance of a phytoremediator has not been explored. We compared the use of Pseudomonas brassicacearum, Rhizobium leguminosarum, and the metal tolerant leguminous plant Vicia sativa to promote the growth of Brassica juncea in soil contaminated with 400 mg Zn kg(-1), and used synchrotron based microfocus X-ray absorption spectroscopy to probe Zn speciation in plant roots. B. juncea grew better when planted with V. sativa than when inoculated with PGPB. By combining PGPB with mixed planting, B. juncea recovered full growth while also achieving soil remediation efficiency of >75%, the maximum ever demonstrated for B. juncea. μXANES analysis of V. sativa suggested possible root exudation of the Zn chelates histidine and cysteine were responsible for reducing Zn toxicity. We propose the exploration of a legume-assisted-phytoremediation system as a more effective alternative to PGPB for Zn bioremediation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bryne T Ngwenya
- a School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh , UK
| | | | - Kate V Heal
- a School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh , UK
| | - Barbra A Harvie
- a School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh , UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Adediran GA, Ngwenya BT, Mosselmans JFW, Heal KV. Bacteria-zinc co-localization implicates enhanced synthesis of cysteine-rich peptides in zinc detoxification when Brassica juncea is inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum. New Phytol 2016; 209:280-93. [PMID: 26263508 PMCID: PMC4676334 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Some plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) are enigmatic in enhancing plant growth in the face of increased metal accumulation in plants. Since most PGPB colonize the plant root epidermis, we hypothesized that PGPB confer tolerance to metals through changes in speciation at the root epidermis. We employed a novel combination of fluorophore-based confocal laser scanning microscopic imaging and synchrotron based microscopic X-ray fluorescence mapping with X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize bacterial localization, zinc (Zn) distribution and speciation in the roots of Brassica juncea grown in Zn contaminated media (400 mg kg(-1) Zn) with the endophytic Pseudomonas brassicacearum and rhizospheric Rhizobium leguminosarum. PGPB enhanced epidermal Zn sequestration relative to PGBP-free controls while the extent of endophytic accumulation depended on the colonization mode of each PGBP. Increased root accumulation of Zn and increased tolerance to Zn was associated predominantly with R. leguminosarum and was likely due to the coordination of Zn with cysteine-rich peptides in the root endodermis, suggesting enhanced synthesis of phytochelatins or glutathione. Our mechanistic model of enhanced Zn accumulation and detoxification in plants inoculated with R. leguminosarum has particular relevance to PGPB enhanced phytoremediation of soils contaminated through mining and oxidation of sulphur-bearing Zn minerals or engineered nanomaterials such as ZnS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gbotemi A Adediran
- School of GeoSciences, The University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK
- Author for correspondence:,
Gbotemi A. Adediran
,
Tel: +44 (0)7447945688
,
| | - Bryne T Ngwenya
- School of GeoSciences, The University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK
| | | | - Kate V Heal
- School of GeoSciences, The University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Adediran GA, Ngwenya BT, Mosselmans JFW, Heal KV, Harvie BA. Mechanisms behind bacteria induced plant growth promotion and Zn accumulation in Brassica juncea. J Hazard Mater 2014; 283:490-9. [PMID: 25464287 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.09.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/29/2014] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The growth and metal-extraction efficiency of plants exposed to toxic metals has been reported to be enhanced by inoculating plants with certain bacteria but the mechanisms behind this process remain unclear. We report results from glasshouse experiments on Brassica juncea plants exposed to 400mgZnkg(-1) that investigated the abilities of Pseudomonas brassicacearum and Rhizobium leguminosarum to promote growth, coupled with synchrotron based μXANES analysis to probe Zn speciation in the plant roots. P. brassicacearum exhibited the poorest plant growth promoting ability, while R. leguminosarum alone and in combination with P. brassicacearum enhanced plant growth and Zn phytoextraction. Reduced growth in un-inoculated plants was attributed to accumulation of Zn oxalate and Zn sulfate in roots. In plants inoculated with P. brassicacearum the high concentration of Zn polygalacturonic acid in the root may be responsible for the stunted growth and reduced Zn phytoextraction. The improved growth and increased metal accumulation observed in plants inoculated with R. leguminosarum and in combination with P. brassicacearum was attributed to the storage of Zn in the form of Zn phytate and Zn cysteine in the root. When combined with the observation that both bacteria do not statistically improve B. juncea growth in the absence of Zn, this work suggests that bacteria-induced metal chelation is the key mechanism of plant growth promoting bacteria in toxicity attenuation and microbial-assisted phytoremediation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gbotemi A Adediran
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK.
| | - Bryne T Ngwenya
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
| | | | - Kate V Heal
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
| | - Barbra A Harvie
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK
| |
Collapse
|