Pristine and sulfidized ZnO nanoparticles alter microbial community structure and nitrogen cycling in freshwater lakes. (1st February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bao, Shaopan; Xiang, Dongfang; Xue, Lu; Xian, Bo; Tang, Wei; Fang, Tao
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 294(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02-01
• Subjects: Nitrogen cycling -- Short-term impact -- Sulfidation -- Functional gene -- Bioavailability; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118661
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and its sulfidized form (ZnS NPs) are increasingly entering into freshwater systems through multiple pathways. However, their impacts on the composition and function of sedimentary microbial communities are still largely unknown. Here, two kinds of lake-derived microcosms were constructed and incubated with ZnO NPs, or ZnS NPs to investigate the short-term (7 days) and long-term (50 days) impacts on sedimentary microbial communities and nitrogen cycling. After 7 days, both ZnO NPs and ZnS NPs dosed microbial communities experienced distinct alterations as compared to the undosed controls. By day 50, the structural shifts of microbial communities caused by ZnO NPs were significantly enlarged, while the microbial shifts induced by ZnS NPs were largely resolved. Additionally, ZnO NPs and ZnS NPs could significantly alter nitrogen species and nitrogen cycling genes in sediments, revealing their non-negligible impacts on nitrogen cycling processes. Furthermore, our data clearly indicated that the impacts of ZnO NPs and ZnS NPs on nitrogen cycling differed distinctly in different lake-derived microcosms, and the impacts were significantly correlated with microbial community structure. Overall, this research suggests that the entrance of pristine or sulfidized ZnO NPs into freshwater systems may significantly impact the sedimentary microbial community structure and nitrogen cycling. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The impacts of ZnO NPs on sediment community structure enhanced over time. The impacts of ZnS NPs on sediment community structure decreased over time. ZnO NPs exposure could significantly reduce TN loss in freshwater systems. The impacts of ZnO NPs on N transformation were largely controlled by sediment microbiota.