We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Single and combined effects of amino polystyrene and perfluorooctane sulfonate on hydrogen-producing thermophilic bacteria and the interaction mechanisms.
Summary
This study examined how amino polystyrene nanoplastics and the industrial chemical PFOS interact with hydrogen-producing bacteria used in bioenergy production, finding that nanoplastics disrupted bacterial metabolism and their combined toxicity with PFOS was greater than either alone. The results raise concerns about the impact of nanoplastic contamination on anaerobic bioprocesses used for renewable energy.
As a carrier of perfluorooctane sulfonate, nano-plastics are ubiquitous and finally enriched in the sludge, which is widely used as a raw material for the production of bioenergy (hydrogen or methane) by anaerobic digestion. However, there are still many unknowns about their metabolic toxicity to functional microbes (e.g. hydrogen-producing thermophilic bacteria). Therefore, single and combined effects of amino polystyrene (NPS: 70 nm; 0.2 mg/L) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS: 0.1, 1 and 5 mg/L) on hydrogen-producing thermophilic bacteria were investigated after exposure for 7 days at 55 °C and pH = 5.7. Single NPS exhibited obvious interference to the metabolism of thermophilic bacteria, resulting in a 53.9% reduction in hydrogen production. However, the combined NPS + PFOS produced an antagonistic effect, leading to a 31.6% reduction in hydrogen production. Nonetheless, the single and combined exposure did not alter the type of hydrogen production (acetic acid-type hydrogen fermentation). Moreover, single NPS and combined NPS + PFOS not only induced the changes of the composition of extracellular polymers (EPSs) and π bond structure of the protein in EPSs, but also decreased the activity of hydrolase in EPSs and surface charge of EPSs. Compared to single NPS exposure, NPS + PFOS-exposed thermophilic bacteria was less permeable to a semi-membrane permeable dye and produced less reactive oxygen species, but were still significantly higher than control group. In short, the main mechanisms of single NPS and combined NPS + PFOS were both to increase cell permeability and to induce oxidative stress. The addition of PFOS alleviated the toxic effect of NPS, but did not change its mechanism of toxicity.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Distinct responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 exposed to different levels of polystyrene nanoplastics
Researchers examined the molecular mechanisms by which polystyrene nanoplastics affect Pseudomonas aeruginosa, finding dose-dependent responses in growth, metabolism, and virulence gene expression that reveal how nanoplastics interact with environmentally relevant bacteria.
Nanoplastics drive toxicity under co-exposure with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid in human intestinal cells
Researchers exposed human intestinal cells to nanoplastics, the industrial chemical PFOS, and their combination, and found that co-exposure caused more severe cellular disruption than either substance alone. Nanoplastics primarily damaged mitochondria while PFOS affected cell membranes and internal structures, and their combination triggered broader metabolic changes including disrupted amino acid and lipid metabolism. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and common environmental chemicals may pose compounding risks to gut health.
When polyethylene terephthalate microplastics meet Perfluorooctane sulfonate in thermophilic biogas upgrading system: Their effect on methanogenesis
This study examined how PET microplastics and PFOS (a forever chemical) interact in a biogas treatment system that converts carbon dioxide to methane. Rather than harming the process, both pollutants actually improved methane production, and some PFOS was broken down when iron was added. While focused on waste treatment rather than health, the findings are relevant because they show how microplastics and forever chemicals behave together in waste streams, which affects how these pollutants are managed before reaching the environment.
Microplastics magnify inhibitive effects of perfluorooctanoic acid on the marine microbial loop
Researchers studied how microplastics interact with a common industrial chemical called PFOA in ocean ecosystems. They found that polystyrene microplastics significantly amplified the harmful effects of PFOA on tiny marine organisms essential to carbon cycling, including bacteria and plankton. The study suggests that when these two pollutants co-exist in seawater, the ecological risks are considerably worse than from either pollutant alone.
Toxicological effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid to Gambusia affinis
Researchers found that co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) produced interactive toxicological effects in mosquitofish, with nanoplastics altering PFOA bioaccumulation and causing liver damage and oxidative stress.