Perfluorooctanoic acid and concomitant microplastics pollution impact nitrogen elimination processes and increase N2O emission in wetlands through regulation of the functional microbiome

IF 12.4 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Water Research Pub Date : 2025-05-13 DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.123822

Yun Zhou , Deshou Cun , Yiting Wang , Yuan Wang , Yanye Li , Erik Jeppesen , Junjun Chang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), typical groups of emerging contaminants (ECs), can accumulate in wetland systems and adsorb onto the surface of microplastics (MPs), resulting in composite pollution. However, the effects of PFASs and their composite pollution with MPs on the ecological processes and functions of wetlands remain largely unknown. We studied the effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its combined pollution with two types of MPs (polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene (PE)) at low and high concentration levels on nitrogen elimination processes and N₂O emissions in wetlands as well as the associated microbial mechanisms over three months. The results showed that PFOA inhibited nitrification in wetland sediment (P < 0.05), most pronouncedly with the composite pollution of PFOA and MPs. ¹⁵NO₃⁻ isotope tracing analysis showed that anammox and denitrification rates were both significantly inhibited by PFOA contamination, especially at high concentrations, while co-presence of MPs, especially PLA, weakened the inhibitory effect of PFOA on anammox and denitrification rates. The contribution of anammox to nitrogen elimination declined under PFOA and its composite pollution with high concentrations of MPs. Overall, PFOA and its composite pollution with MPs weakened the nitrogen removal capability of the wetlands. PFOA presence increased N₂O emissions (by 43.4–343 %) from the wetlands, and its composite pollution with MPs, particularly with PLA, further exacerbated N₂O emissions (by 35.6–197 %), evidencing a concentration- dependent effect. The increases were primarily attributed to that PFOA and MPs contamination regulated the community structure of the functional microbiome and reduced the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing and N₂O-reducing bacteria. DO, nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N or NO₃⁻-N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were the key environmental factors influencing nitrogen loss rates in the wetlands. PFOA and its composite pollution with MPs regulated the nitrogen loss processes and N₂O emission in the wetlands following distinct pathways. This study provides new insights into the impacts of PFASs and their composite pollution with MPs on nitrogen transformation and N₂O emissions in wetlands and the indispensable management of wetlands under continuous inputs of ECs.

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全氟辛酸和伴随的微塑料污染通过调节功能微生物群影响湿地的氮消除过程并增加N2O排放

全氟和多氟烷基物质（PFASs）是一类典型的新兴污染物（ECs），可在湿地系统中积累并吸附在微塑料（MPs）表面，造成复合污染。然而，PFASs及其与MPs的复合污染对湿地生态过程和功能的影响在很大程度上仍然是未知的。在三个月的时间里，我们研究了全氟辛酸（PFOA）及其与两种MPs（聚乳酸（PLA）和聚乙烯（PE））在低浓度和高浓度下的复合污染对湿地氮消除过程和N2O排放的影响以及相关的微生物机制。结果表明，PFOA对湿地沉积物的硝化作用有抑制作用(P <；0.05)，以PFOA和MPs的复合污染最为明显。15NO₃⁻同位素示踪分析表明，PFOA污染对厌氧氨氧化和反硝化速率都有显著的抑制作用，特别是在高浓度的情况下，而MPs（尤其是PLA）的共同存在削弱了PFOA对厌氧氨氧化和反硝化速率的抑制作用。在PFOA及其复合污染下，厌氧氨氧化对氮消除的贡献下降。总体而言，PFOA及其与MPs的复合污染削弱了湿地的脱氮能力。PFOA的存在增加了湿地的N₂O排放量（43.4-343%），其与MPs的复合污染，特别是与PLA的复合污染，进一步加剧了N₂O排放量（35.6-197%），证明了浓度依赖效应。PFOA和MPs污染调节了功能菌群的群落结构，降低了氨氧化菌和N₂还原菌的丰度。DO、氮（NH4+-N或NO3−-N）和溶解有机碳（DOC）浓度是影响湿地氮损失率的关键环境因子。PFOA及其与MPs的复合污染通过不同的途径调控湿地氮素损失过程和N2O排放。本研究揭示了全氟磺酸及其复合污染对湿地氮转化和N₂O排放的影响，以及生态系统持续投入下湿地不可缺少的管理。

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来源期刊

Water Research 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

20.80

自引率

9.40%

发文量

1307

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Water Research, along with its open access companion journal Water Research X, serves as a platform for publishing original research papers covering various aspects of the science and technology related to the anthropogenic water cycle, water quality, and its management worldwide. The audience targeted by the journal comprises biologists, chemical engineers, chemists, civil engineers, environmental engineers, limnologists, and microbiologists. The scope of the journal include: •Treatment processes for water and wastewaters (municipal, agricultural, industrial, and on-site treatment), including resource recovery and residuals management; •Urban hydrology including sewer systems, stormwater management, and green infrastructure; •Drinking water treatment and distribution; •Potable and non-potable water reuse; •Sanitation, public health, and risk assessment; •Anaerobic digestion, solid and hazardous waste management, including source characterization and the effects and control of leachates and gaseous emissions; •Contaminants (chemical, microbial, anthropogenic particles such as nanoparticles or microplastics) and related water quality sensing, monitoring, fate, and assessment; •Anthropogenic impacts on inland, tidal, coastal and urban waters, focusing on surface and ground waters, and point and non-point sources of pollution; •Environmental restoration, linked to surface water, groundwater and groundwater remediation; •Analysis of the interfaces between sediments and water, and between water and atmosphere, focusing specifically on anthropogenic impacts; •Mathematical modelling, systems analysis, machine learning, and beneficial use of big data related to the anthropogenic water cycle; •Socio-economic, policy, and regulations studies.