Bioavailability of selected trace and rare earth elements to Juncus effusus L.: the potential role of de-icing chlorides in the roadside environment

Background and aim The presence of chlorides in soils, e.g., from de-icing salts may change metal availability to plants. Methods To assess the role of de-icing chlorides on bioavailability of metals, the samples of the rhizosphere soils, roots and shoots of Juncus effusus L. were collected monthly from April to June of 2019 in the vicinity of roads and analyzed for trace (Ag, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Zn) and rare earth elements (from La to Lu). Results Concentrations of Cl− were distinctly higher in the shoots than in the roots. Apart from Cd, the concentration sequence of the other metals was as follows: rhizosphere soils>roots>shoots. The bioaccumulation and translocation factors indicated that Cd was the most preferably transported to the shoots as opposed to Ag, Co, Pb and REEs that showed a very low translocation potential. Negative correlations, which were noted between Cu and Co in the shoots and Cl− in soils, revealed their role in salinity stress alleviation. All soil samples showed a positive anomaly of Ce and a negative anomaly of Eu, whereas the shoots showed in turn a negative anomaly of Ce and a distinct positive anomaly of Eu. The lowest salinity factors (K/Na, Ca/Na) of the shoots resulted from an increase of salinity in J. effusus by higher sodium concentrations derived from de-icing NaCl. Conclusions De-icing agents may change the uptake of other elements. In natural habitats, the factors affecting this process include: type of element, soil metal concentrations and interactions, and individual plant features.

Metabolic Model of the Nitrogen-Fixing Obligate Aerobe Azotobacter vinelandii Predicts Its Adaptation to Oxygen Concentration and Metal Availability

The world’s dependence on industrially produced nitrogenous fertilizers has created a dichotomy of issues. First, parts of the globe lack access to fertilizers, leading to poor crop yields that significantly limit nutrition while contributing to disease and starvation.

Orchestrating a heist: uptake and storage of metals by apicomplexan parasites

The acquisition and storage of metals has been a preoccupation of life for millennia. Transition metals, in particular iron, copper and zinc, have vital roles within cells. However, metals also make dangerous cargos; inappropriate uptake or storage of transition metals leads to cell death. This paradox has led to cells developing elegant and frequently redundant mechanisms for fine-tuning local metal concentrations. In the context of infection, pathogens must overcome further hurdles, as hosts act to weaponize metal availability to prevent pathogen colonization and spread. Here, we detail the methods used by the Apicomplexa, a large family of eukaryotic parasites, to obtain and store essential metals.

Lime-Phosphorus Fertilizer Efficiently Reduces the Cd Content of Rice: Physicochemical Property and Biological Community Structure in Cd-Polluted Paddy Soil

Due to the biomagnifying effect in the food chains, heavy metals will cause serious harm to the food produced in paddy soil, and then threaten human health. The remediation of soil heavy metals by the addition of amendments is a common method. However, the combination of the two amendments has been less studied and its effect is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of a lime and calcium-magnesium phosphate (CMP) amendments metal availability and paddy soil bacteria biodiversity. The experiment proves that the addition of 0.5 and 1.0‰ amendment can effectively reduce cadmium (Cd) availability and the cadmium content in rice to be below 0.2 mg/kg, meeting the national food safety level. The results demonstrate that increasing pH and phosphorous (P) in soil were two important factors decreasing available cadmium. Furthermore, biodiversity analysis of the treated soil showed that the amendment increased biodiversity. Proteobacteria and Chloroflex were the most abundant bacteria at the phylum level, followed by Acidobacterium and Nitrospirae. The abundance of Bacterodietes-vadinHA17, Syntrophaceae, and Thiobacillus increased as phosphorous increased. Cadmium passivation might induce those species.

Lactate production can function to increase human epithelial cell iron concentration

Iron is an essential micronutrient required by every cell, inclusive of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Under conditions of limited iron availability, plants and microbes evolved mechanisms to acquire iron which include carbon metabolism reprogramming, with the activity of several enzymes involved in the Krebs cycle and the glycolytic pathway being stimulated by metal deficiency. Following release, resultant carboxylates/hydroxycarboxylates can function as ligands to complex iron and facilitate its solubilization and uptake, reversing the deficiency. Human epithelial tissue may produce lactate, a hydroxycarboxylate, during absolute and functional iron deficiency in an attempt to import metal to reverse limited availability. Here we investigate 1) if lactate can increase cell metal import, 2) if lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in and lactate production by cells correspond to metal availability, and 3) if blood concentrations of LDH in a human cohort correlate with indices of iron homeostasis. Exposures of Caco-2 cells to both Na lactate and ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) increased metal import relative to FAC alone. Fumaric, isocitric, malic, and succinic acid exposure revealed that FAC co-incubation similarly increased iron import relative to FAC alone. Increased iron import following exposures to Na lactate and FAC elevated both ferritin and metal associated with mitochondria. LDH in Caco-2 cell scrapings did not change after exposure to deferoxamine but decreased with 24 hr exposure to FAC. Lactate levels in both the supernatants and cell scrapings revealed decreased levels at 4, 8, and 24 hr with FAC. In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2005-2010), Spearman correlations demonstrated significant negative relationships between LDH concentrations and serum iron. We conclude that iron import in human cells can involve lactate, LDH activity can reflect the availability of this metal, and blood LDH concentrations can correlate with indices of iron homeostasis.

Biochar alleviates metal toxicity and improves microbial community functions in a soil co-contaminated with cadmium and lead

Soil amendment with biochar alleviates the toxic effects of heavy metals on microbial functions in single-metal contaminated soils. Yet, it is unclear how biochar application would improve microbial activity and enzymatic activity in soils co-polluted with toxic metals. The present research aimed at determining the response of microbial and biochemical attributes to addition of sugarcane bagasse biochar (SCB) in cadmium (Cd)-lead (Pb) co-contaminated soils. SCBs (400 and 600 °C) decreased the available concentrations of Cd and Pb, increased organic carbon (OC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contents in soil. The decrease of metal availability was greater with 600 °C SCB than with 400 °C SCB, and metal immobilization was greater for Cd (16%) than for Pb (12%) in co-spiked soils amended with low-temperature SCB. Biochar application improved microbial activity and biomass, and enzymatic activity in the soils co-spiked with metals, but these positive impacts of SCB were less pronounced in the co-spiked soils than in the single-spiked soils. SCB decreased the adverse impacts of heavy metals on soil properties largely through the enhanced labile C for microbial assimilation and partly through the immobilization of metals. Redundancy analysis further confirmed that soil OC was overwhelmingly the dominant driver of changes in the properties and quality of contaminated soils amended with SCB. The promotion of soil microbial quality by the low-temperature SCB was greater than by high-temperature SCB, due to its higher labile C fraction. Our findings showed that SCB at lower temperatures could be applied to metal co-polluted soils to mitigate the combined effects of metal stresses on microbial and biochemical functions.

Effect of Chelant-Based Soil Washing and Post-Treatment on Pb, Cd, and Zn Bioavailability and Plant Uptake

The remediation of Pb, Cd, and Zn contaminated soil by ex situ EDTA washing was investigated in two pot experiments. We tested the influence of (i) 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%wt zero-valent iron (ZVI) and (ii) a combination of 5%wt vermicompost, 2%wt biochar, and 1%wt ZVI on the metal availability in EDTA-washed soil using different soil extracts (Aqua regia, NH4NO3) and plant concentrations. We found that EDTA soil washing significantly reduced the total concentration of Pb, Cd, and Zn and significantly reduced the Cd and Zn plant uptake. Residual EDTA was detected in water extracts causing the formation of highly available Pb-EDTA complexes. While organic amendments had no significant effect on Pb behavior in washed soils, an amendment of ≥ 1%wt ZVI successfully reduced EDTA concentrations, Pb bioavailability, and plant uptake. Our results suggest that Pb-EDTA complexes adsorb to a Fe oxyhydroxide layer, quickly developing on the ZVI surface. The increase in ZVI application strongly decreases Zn concentrations in plant tissue, whereas the uptake of Cd was not reduced, but even slightly increased. Soil washing did not affect plant productivity and organic amendments improved biomass production.

Characterization of global gene expression, regulation of metal ions, and infection outcomes in immune competent 129S6 mouse macrophages

Nutritional immunity involves cellular and physiological responses to invading pathogens, such as limiting iron, increasing exposure to bactericidal copper, and altering zinc to restrict the growth of pathogens. Here we examine infection of bone marrow-derived macrophages from 129S6/SvEvTac mice by Salmonella Typhimurium. 129S6/SvEvTac mice possess a functional Slc11a1 (Nramp-1), a phagosomal transporter of divalent cations that plays an important role in modulating metal availability to the pathogen. We carried out global RNA sequencing upon treatment with live or heat-killed Salmonella at 2 Hrs and 18 Hrs post-infection and observed widespread changes in metal transport, metal-dependent, and metal homeostasis genes, suggesting significant remodeling of iron, copper, and zinc availability by host cells. Changes in host cell gene expression suggest infection increases cytosolic zinc while simultaneously limiting zinc within the phagosome. Using a genetically encoded sensor, we demonstrate that cytosolic labile zinc increases 36-fold 12 hrs post-infection. Further, manipulation of zinc in the media alters bacterial clearance and replication, with zinc depletion inhibiting both processes. Comparing the transcriptomic changes to published data on infection of C57BL/6 macrophages revealed notable differences in metal regulation and the global immune response. Our results reveal that 129S6 macrophages represent a distinct model system compared to C57BL/6 macrophages. Further, our results indicate that manipulation of zinc at the host-pathogen interface is more nuanced than that of iron or copper. 129S6 macrophage leverage intricate means of manipulating zinc availability and distribution to limit the pathogen’s access to zinc while simultaneously ensuring sufficient zinc to support the immune response.