Nano–Zoo Interfacial Interaction as a Design Principle for Hybrid Soil Remediation Technology

Abstract

Using nanotechnology to remediate contaminated agricultural soil is promising but faces notable technical and economic challenges. Importantly, widely distributed soil invertebrates can potentially act as natural mobile facilitators for in situ nanoscale remediation of contaminated soil. Herein, we have drawn inspiration from nano–bio interaction and established a hybrid remediation framework using nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) and nematodes for organochlorine-contaminated soil. Approximately 80% pentachlorophenol (PCP, initially 50 mg/kg) was synergistically degraded by nZVI and nematodes within 3 days. Mechanistically, exposure to nZVI stimulated the synthesis of reductive biomolecules (including collagen, glutathione, and l-cysteine) which acted as a bioreductive barrier and significantly mitigated the toxicity of PCP. At the microinterface, collagen distributed in the epidermis chelated nZVI; subsequently, l-cysteine and glutathione strongly accelerated nZVI-induced PCP dechlorination by facilitating the reductive dissolution of nZVI oxide shell and electron transfer from Fe0 core to PCP. On the basis of the interfacial interaction, an optimized soil remediation approach composed of nZVI, nematodes, and l-cysteine was established, demonstrating a 2.1-fold increase in removal efficiency with only 48.5% nZVI consumption compared with the nZVI treatment alone. This work provides a heuristic model for developing cost-efficient remediation technologies with the synergistic force of functional materials and indigenous biota, which may be widely applicable to a range of environmental contamination scenarios.

Nematodes Degrade Extracellular Antibiotic Resistance Genes by Secreting DNase II Encoded by the nuc-1 Gene

“…Inoculating nematodes directly into wastewater wetlands and even into eARG-rich sludge, biosolids, or soils is likely to be an effective way to mitigate AMR spread. Additionally, nematodes exhibit high population densities in soil environments (ranging from 200 to 2000 individuals/m 2 ) and have crucial roles in the geochemical cycling of organic pollutants (pentachlorophenols, tetrachlorobiphenyls, and phenanthrene), nutrient cycling (N and P elements), and predatory suppression of bacteria- or fungus-related diseases . Introducing nematodes into soils or other habitats to degrade eARGs may thus be an economical, sustainable, and multi-advantage biological approach.…”

Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of the Flame Retardant Tris(2-butoxyethyl) Phosphate Accelerate Caenorhabditis elegans Senescence

“…The primer sequences are listed in Table S1. qRT-PCR was performed as previously described, − and relative expression levels were calculated using the 2 –ΔΔCt method . Further details are provided in the Supporting Information.…”

Core Soil Microorganisms and Abiotic Properties as Key Mechanisms of Complementary Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron and Nitrification Inhibitors in Decreasing Paclobutrazol Residues and Nitrous Oxide Emissions

“…The nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) is an iron-based nanomaterial that was found to promote organic pollutant degradations . The nZVI was utilized in environmental remediation processes and could improve soil pesticide degradation rates. − The nZVI could also reduce denitrification substrate concentration for N 2 O production . However, rare research has centered on the multifaceted effects of the nZVI on simultaneously reducing greenhouse emissions and organic pollutant residues.…”