Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systems
Widespread polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (PET MPs) have played unintended role in nitrous oxide (N2O) turnovers (i.e., production and consumption) at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Mainstream aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems possess potentially strong N2O-sink capability, which...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Water Research X |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914724000884 |
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| author | Yingrui Liu Yanying He Qian Lu Tingting Zhu Yufen Wang Yindong Tong Yingxin Zhao Bing-Jie Ni Yiwen Liu |
| author_facet | Yingrui Liu Yanying He Qian Lu Tingting Zhu Yufen Wang Yindong Tong Yingxin Zhao Bing-Jie Ni Yiwen Liu |
| author_sort | Yingrui Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Widespread polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (PET MPs) have played unintended role in nitrous oxide (N2O) turnovers (i.e., production and consumption) at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Mainstream aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems possess potentially strong N2O-sink capability, which may be reduced by PET MPs stress through altering N2O-contributing pathways, electron transfer, and microbial community structures. In this study, the effects of PET MPs with two common particle sizes of effluent from WWTPs (0.1 and 0.5 mm) on N2O turnovers, production pathways and N2O-sink capability were systematically disclosed in AGS systems by a series of biochemical tests and molecular biological means to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. The results indicated that 0.1 mm PET MPs could more significantly stimulate N2O production in AGS systems by inhibiting denitrifying metabolism, compared with control and 0.5 mm PET MPs systems. Specifically, 0.1 mm PET MPs slightly increased the relative abundance of Nitrosomonas, reducing N2O yields via promoting the hydroxylamine (NH2OH) oxidation pathway during nitrification. Also, 0.1 mm PET MPs inhibited the electron transport system activities and the relative abundance of N2O reductase, hindering N2O reduction during denitrification. Most importantly, 0.1 mm PET MPs more apparently reduced the N2O-sink capability based on the ratio of N2O reductase gene and nitrite reductase gene. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6783d1bce68c4a8ba3bdb71227ae6ce3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2589-9147 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Research X |
| spelling | doaj-art-6783d1bce68c4a8ba3bdb71227ae6ce32025-01-05T04:28:32ZengElsevierWater Research X2589-91472025-05-0127100299Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systemsYingrui Liu0Yanying He1Qian Lu2Tingting Zhu3Yufen Wang4Yindong Tong5Yingxin Zhao6Bing-Jie Ni7Yiwen Liu8School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR ChinaSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, AustraliaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China; Corresponding author.Widespread polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (PET MPs) have played unintended role in nitrous oxide (N2O) turnovers (i.e., production and consumption) at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Mainstream aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems possess potentially strong N2O-sink capability, which may be reduced by PET MPs stress through altering N2O-contributing pathways, electron transfer, and microbial community structures. In this study, the effects of PET MPs with two common particle sizes of effluent from WWTPs (0.1 and 0.5 mm) on N2O turnovers, production pathways and N2O-sink capability were systematically disclosed in AGS systems by a series of biochemical tests and molecular biological means to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. The results indicated that 0.1 mm PET MPs could more significantly stimulate N2O production in AGS systems by inhibiting denitrifying metabolism, compared with control and 0.5 mm PET MPs systems. Specifically, 0.1 mm PET MPs slightly increased the relative abundance of Nitrosomonas, reducing N2O yields via promoting the hydroxylamine (NH2OH) oxidation pathway during nitrification. Also, 0.1 mm PET MPs inhibited the electron transport system activities and the relative abundance of N2O reductase, hindering N2O reduction during denitrification. Most importantly, 0.1 mm PET MPs more apparently reduced the N2O-sink capability based on the ratio of N2O reductase gene and nitrite reductase gene.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914724000884Nitrous oxide (N2O)Microplastics (MPs)Particle sizesAerobic granular sludge (AGS)Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) |
| spellingShingle | Yingrui Liu Yanying He Qian Lu Tingting Zhu Yufen Wang Yindong Tong Yingxin Zhao Bing-Jie Ni Yiwen Liu Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systems Water Research X Nitrous oxide (N2O) Microplastics (MPs) Particle sizes Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) |
| title | Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systems |
| title_full | Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systems |
| title_fullStr | Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systems |
| title_short | Smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic N2O production in aerobic granular sludge systems |
| title_sort | smaller sizes of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics mainly stimulate heterotrophic n2o production in aerobic granular sludge systems |
| topic | Nitrous oxide (N2O) Microplastics (MPs) Particle sizes Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914724000884 |
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