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C60 fullerene soil sorption, biodegradation, and plant uptake
Raghavendhran Avanasi1, William A Jackson, Brie Sherwin
1Department of Environmental Toxicology, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH), ‡Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and §Texas Tech School of Law, Texas Tech University , Lubbock, Texas 79409-1163, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology
|February 14, 2014
Summary
Fullerenes like C60 are persistent in soil, showing low biodegradation and minimal plant uptake. Environmental assessments reveal C60 fullerene is not highly bioavailable but remains in soil long-term.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Soil Science
Background:
- Increasing production and use of fullerenes necessitate environmental exposure assessments.
- Understanding the environmental fate of fullerenes is crucial for risk evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the environmental fate of C60 fullerene in soil.
- To evaluate sorption, biodegradation, and plant uptake of C60 fullerene.
Main Methods:
- Utilized (14)C-labeled C60 fullerene in water solutions.
- Assessed sorption in different soil types (sandy loam, silt loam, loam).
- Monitored biodegradation via (14)CO2 production and plant uptake in various plant parts.
Main Results:
- C60 soil sorption is influenced by organic carbon content, with higher log Koc values in loam.
- C60 fullerene demonstrated high resistance to mineralization in soil, with minimal (14)CO2 detected.
- Plant uptake of C60 fullerene was low (approx. 7%), with most accumulation in roots.
Conclusions:
- C60 fullerene exhibits limited bioavailability in soil environments.
- Fullerenes are likely to persist in soil for extended periods due to low biodegradation.
- Environmental risk assessments should consider the persistence and low bioavailability of C60 fullerene.
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