Integrated physio-biochemistry and RNA-seq revealed the mechanism underlying biochar-mediated alleviation of compound heavy metals (Cd, Pb, As) toxicity in cotton.

Biochar has been recognised as an efficacious amendment for the remediation of compound heavy metal contamination in soil. However, the molecular mechanism of biochar-mediated tolerance to compound heavy metal toxicity in cotton is unknown. The objective of this research was to investigate the positive impact of biochar (10 g·kg) on reducing damage caused by compound heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and As) in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.

Geochemical fractionation and potential release behaviour of heavy metals in lead‒zinc smelting soils.

The lack of understanding of heavy metal speciation and solubility control mechanisms in smelting soils limits the effective pollution control. In this study smelting soils were investigated by an advanced mineralogical analysis (AMICS), leaching tests and thermodynamic modelling. The aims were to identify the partitioning and release behaviour of Pb, Zn, Cd and As.

Microbial community composition and cooccurrence patterns driven by co-contamination of arsenic and antimony in antimony-mining area.

In the current study, a typical Sb mine was selected to explore the microbial community composition and assembly driven by the cocontamination of As/Sb with geographic distance. Our results showed that environmental parameters, especially pH, TOC, nitrate, total and bioavailable As/Sb contents largely affected the microbial community diversity and composition. The total and bioavailable As/Sb levels were significantly positively correlated with the relative abundance of Zavarzinella, Thermosporothrix and Holophaga, while the pH presented a significant negative correlation with the three genera, potentially implying they are important taxonomic groups in acid-mining soils.

The effect of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of iron-oxidizing bacteria (Ochrobactrum EEELCW01) on mineral transformation and arsenic (As) fate.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are an important medium for communication and material exchange between iron-oxidizing bacteria and the external environment and could induce the iron (oxyhydr) oxides production which reduced arsenic (As) availability. The main component of EPS secreted by iron-oxidizing bacteria (Ochrobactrum EEELCW01) was composed of polysaccharides (150.76-165.

Arsenic Elevated Groundwater Irrigation: Farmers' Perception of Rice and Vegetable Contamination in a Naturally Arsenic Endemic Area.

Arsenic (As) in groundwater and its accumulation in agricultural produces has caused serious threats to human health. The majority of current research on As mainly focuses on the technical aspects while bypassing the social perspectives. Farmers are the prime stakeholders as well as executors of agricultural strategies, and their adaptation largely depends on how they perceive the risk for which a mitigation strategy is proposed.

Light plays a critical role in the accumulation of chlorogenic acid in Lonicera macranthoides Hand.-Mazz.

Light has important effects on plant metabolism. However, the relationship between the chlorogenic acid (CGA) content and light in plants remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of shading treatment on gene expression and CGA content in Lonicera macranthoides Hand.

Soil heavy metal pollution from Pb/Zn smelting regions in China and the remediation potential of biomineralization.

Smelting activities pose serious environmental problems due to the local and regional heavy metal pollution in soils they cause. It is therefore important to understand the pollution situation and its source in the contaminated soils. In this paper, data on heavy metal pollution in soils resulting from Pb/Zn smelting (published in the last 10 years) in China was summarized.

Arsenic biotransformation genes and As transportation in soil-rice system affected by iron-oxidizing strain (Ochrobactrum sp.).

Arsenic (As) biotransformation in soil affects As biogeochemical cycling and is associated with As accumulation in rice. After inoculation with 1% iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) in paddy soil, As speciation, As biotransformation genes in soil, As/Fe in Fe plaques, and As accumulation in rice were characterized. Compared with the control, the available As concentrations in soils decreased while amorphous and poorly crystalline Fe-Al oxidized As and crystalline Fe-Al oxidized As fractions increased of F (FeOB) and RF (rice and FeOB) treatments.

Arsenic Transformation in Soil-Rice System Affected by Iron-Oxidizing Strain ( sp.) and Related Soil Metabolomics Analysis.

Iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) could oxidize Fe(II) and mediate biomineralization, which provides the possibility for its potential application in arsenic (As) remediation. In the present study, a strain named isolated previously, was inoculated into paddy soils to investigate the effect of FeOB inoculation on the As migration and transformation in paddy soils. The results showed that inoculation of sp.

Remediation of arsenic-contaminated paddy field by a new iron oxidizing strain (Ochrobactrum sp.) and iron-modified biochar.

Iron-oxidizing strain (FeOB) and iron modified biochars have been shown arsenic (As) remediation ability in the environment. However, due to the complicated soil environment, few field experiment has been conducted. The study was conducted to investigate the potential of iron modified biochar (BC-FeOS) and biomineralization by a new found FeOB to remediate As-contaminated paddy field.

Effects of biochar/AQDS on As(III)-adsorbed ferrihydrite reduction and arsenic (As) and iron (Fe) transformation: Abiotic and biological conditions.

Microbe induced iron (Fe) reduction play an important role in arsenic (As) transformation and the related secondary mineral formation. Meanwhile biochar could react as electron shuttle for this process. Impact of biochar and model electron shuttle anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) on the chemical/biological iron reduction of As(III)-adsorbed ferrihydrite and the solid-liquid redistribution of As in M1 buffer were studied.

Identification of reliable reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR analysis of the Rhus chinensis Mill. leaf response to temperature changes.

Rhus chinensis Mill. (RCM) is the host plant of Galla chinensis, which is valued in traditional medicine. Environmental temperature directly determines the probability of gallnut formation and RCM growth.

Planting a Seed of Experience - Long Term Effects of a Co-curricular Ecogarden-Based Program in Higher Education in Hong Kong.

This paper reports on the long-term effectiveness of a non-formal co-curricular educational program based on a campus ecogarden at a Hong Kong university in developing pro-sustainability awareness, attitudes and behavior among undergraduate students. This service-based, nature-based experiential learning program, termed the Ecogarden Farmer and Biodiversity Surveyor, has been running at the university since 2015. The program is divided into two consecutive phases: a training phase comprising various learning activities and a successive internship phase consisting of the all-round practical tasks involved in managing the garden.

Microbial driven iron reduction affects arsenic transformation and transportation in soil-rice system.

The microbe-driven iron cycle plays an important role in speciation transformation and migration of arsenic (As) in soil-rice systems. In this study, pot experiments were used to investigate the effect of bacterial iron (Fe) reduction processes in soils on As speciation and migration, as well as on As uptake in soil-rice system. During the rice growth period, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in soil solutions initially increased and then decreased, with the ranges of 7.

Effect of sulfur and sulfur-iron modified biochar on cadmium availability and transfer in the soil-rice system.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in paddy soils has aroused global concern. Sulfur modified biochar (BC) could combine the benefits of BC and S for Cd remediation. However, no information is available on the impact of sulfur modified biochar on Cd phytoavailability in paddy soils.

Effect of sulfur-iron modified biochar on the available cadmium and bacterial community structure in contaminated soils.

Cadmium contamination in paddy soils has aroused increasing concern around the world, and biochar has many positive properties, such as large specific surface areas, micro porous structure for the heavy metal immobilization in soils. However there are few studies on sulfur-iron modified biochar as well as its microbiology effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Cd immobilization effects of sulfur or sulfur-iron modified biochar and its related microbial community changes in Cd-contaminated soils.

Remediation of arsenic-contaminated paddy soil by iron-modified biochar.

Arsenic contamination in paddy soils has aroused global concern due to its threats to food security and human health. Biochar modified with different iron materials was prepared for arsenic (As) immobilization in contaminated soils. Soil incubation experiments were carried to investigate the effects of biochar modified with Fe-oxyhydroxy sulfate (Biochar-FeOS), FeCl (Biochar-FeCl), and zero-valent iron (Biochar-Fe) on the pH, NaHCO-extractable As concentrations, and the As fractions in soils.