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Investigating Long-Distance Transport of Perfluoroalkyl Acids in Wheat via a Split-Root Exposure Technique
Published on: September 28, 2022
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Nitrogen addition enhanced Per-fluoroalkyl substances' microbial availability in a wheat soil ecosystem
Jian-Yi Wu1, Zhi-Wei Shen2, Zu-Lin Hua1
1Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China; Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Jiangsu, 210098, China.
Chemosphere
|February 11, 2023
Summary
Nitrogen fertilization, especially with ammonium, increases the availability of per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to soil microbes. This nitrogen loading reduces microbial diversity and alters enzyme activity, highlighting the need to manage ammonia amendments in farmlands.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Soil Microbiology
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) contaminate farmland soils, posing risks to soil health and crop safety.
- Increased nitrogen loading from fertilization is a common practice in agricultural ecosystems.
- The interaction between nitrogen additions and soil microbial responses to PFASs remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different nitrogen amendments (ammonium, nitrate, urea) affect the microbial availability of PFASs in soil.
- To assess the impact of nitrogen fertilization on soil microbial community structure, stability, and enzyme activities under PFASs pollution.
- To identify key abiotic and biotic factors regulating soil microbial succession and PFASs accumulation in soil extracellular polymeric substances (EPS).
Main Methods:
- Laboratory-based ecological experiment using soils with varied nitrogen amendments.
- Quantification of PFAS translocation factors from soil particles to soil extracellular polymeric substances (EPS).
- Analysis of microbial community diversity, stability, enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, POD), and nitrogen cycling gene expression (hmp).
Main Results:
- Ammonium significantly increased PFAS microbial availability (p < 0.05).
- Nitrogen fertilization reduced microbial community diversity and stability and altered enzyme activities (enhanced SOD, inhibited CAT and POD).
- PFASs, nitrate, and nitrite regulated fungal succession, while dissolved organic carbon (DOC) regulated bacterial communities. The hmp gene was identified as a hub gene integrating PFAS availability and nitrogen cycling.
Conclusions:
- Ammonia amendments enhance PFAS microbial availability and negatively impact soil microbial communities.
- Reducing ammonia application can mitigate PFAS risks in agricultural soils and protect soil microbiome stability.
- Management of nitrogen fertilization, particularly ammonia, is crucial for addressing PFAS contamination in farmlands.
Keywords:
Microbial availabilityNitrogen additionPer-fluoroalkyl substancesSoil extracellular enzymesSoil microbial communityMore Related Videos
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