EFFECT OF C60 FULLERENES ON THE ACCUMULATION OF WEATHERED p,p′-DDE BY PLANT AND EARTHWORM SPECIES UNDER SINGLE AND MULTISPECIES CONDITIONS

Abstract

The use of engineered nanomaterials has increased dramatically in recent years, but an understanding of nanomaterial fate and effects in the environment is lacking. In particular, the interaction of nanomaterials with coexisting organic contaminants and the subsequent implications for sensitive biota is almost completely unknown. Here, the effect of C60 fullerenes on the accumulation of weathered dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE; DDT metabolite) by Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) and Eisenia fetida (earthworm) was determined under single and multispecies conditions. The plants, in the presence or absence of earthworms, were grown in soil containing weathered DDE (200 ng/g) and 0 or 1,670 mg/kg C60 fullerenes. Plants and earthworms were added either simultaneously or sequentially (earthworms after plants). Neither DDE nor C60 had an impact on survival or biomass of plants and earthworms, although fullerenes significantly decreased (29.6-39.0%) the relative root mass. Under single or multispecies conditions, C60 had little impact on DDE bioaccumulation by either species. The DDE concentrations in non-fullerene-exposed shoots, roots, and earthworms were 181, 7,400, and 8,230 ng/g, respectively. On fullerene exposure, the DDE content was nonsignificantly lower at 163, 7280, and 7540 ng/g, respectively. In the presence of the earthworms, C60 significantly decreased the shoot DDE content (28.6%), but no impact on root concentrations was observed. Root DDE content was unaffected by the presence of fullerenes and decreased by 21.6 to 37.5% during coexposure with earthworms. Earthworm DDE content was decreased by plant presence. Earthworms added to soils after plant harvest accumulated more DDE but were unaffected by the C60 exposure. Additional work is necessary, but these findings suggest that fullerenes may have minimal impact on the bioaccumulation of weathered cocontaminants in soil.

Carbon nanomaterials: production, impact on plant development, agricultural and environmental applications

“…Uptake of fullerene 14 C60 was also reported for radish (Raphanus sativus), grown for 2 weeks in a sand substrate and hydroponic culture, while a rock wool substrate limited the availability of C60 for plant uptake [146]. Although the principal capacity of plant roots to take up fullerenes has been repeatedly demonstrated, unfortunately more detailed studies on plant availability and root uptake under real soil conditions are still lacking [138,139].…”

“…Genotypic differences in the uptake rates of DTT metabolites in the presence of fullerene C60 have been reported in plants grown on a vermiculite-soil mixture [138] with inhibitory effects recorded for maize (Z. mays) and tomato (S. lycopersicum) but stimulation in soybean (G. max) and zucchini (C. pepo). Interestingly, in a study conducted on a loamy field soil, containing naturally aged DDE residues, no impact of fullerene C60 amendments on contaminant uptake by pumpkin (C. pepo) was detectable [139]. These findings suggest that plant availability of fullerenes and/or organic contaminants depends not only on substrate properties, but also on differences between plant species.…”

“…In a study of terrestrial plants with fullerene soil amendments used for immobilization of pesticide residues, reduced biomass accumulation was reported at higher fullerene concentrations (500-5000 mg kg −1 soil): up to 40 % reduction for soybean (Glycine max), 44 % for maize (Zea mays) and 10 % for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) [138], while inhibition of root growth was detected in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) [139].…”

Fullerene-associated phenanthrene contributes to bioaccumulation but is not toxic to fish

“…Therefore, the effects of carbon-based nanoparticles, including C 60 , on the bioavailability and toxicity of more toxic organic pollutants have recently elevated concern [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. However, C 60 had species-and contaminant-specific effects on pesticide uptake to crops [13,16]. However, C 60 had species-and contaminant-specific effects on pesticide uptake to crops [13,16].…”

Interactions between engineered nanomaterials and agricultural crops: implications for food safety

“…ENMs in agricultural soils can possibly affect the bioavailability of other soil pollutants (e.g., heavy metals, organochlorine pesticides, pharmaceuticals). For instance, C 60 significantly increased weathered chlordane uptake from soil by Lycopersicon esculentum or Glycine max whereas MWCNTs decreased chlordane and DDx accumulation in Cucurbita pepo, Zea mays, Lycopersicum sculentum, and Glycine max (De La Torre-Roche et al, 2012a;Kelsey and White, 2013). Nanoparticle Ag was found to decrease the p,p′-DDE content of Glycine max tissues more than bulk Ag (De La Torre-Roche et al, 2012b).…”