Journal Article

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles strongly impact soil microbial function by affecting archaeal nitrifiers

Department of Biology ; Northern Arizona University [Flagstaff], Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Ecologie Microbienne - UMR 5557 (LEM) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) ; Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon (ENVL)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Pommier, Thomas, Simonin, Marie, Richaume-Jolion, Agnès, Dubost, Audrey, Guyonnet, Julien P, Martins, Jean M. F, Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology ; Duke University [Durham], Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) ; Université de Lyon, Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG) ; Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-

2016

Overview

Soils are facing new environmental stressors, such as titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs). While these emerging pollutants are increasingly released into most ecosystems, including agricultural fields, their potential impacts on soil and its function remain to be investigated. Here we report the response of the microbial community of an agricultural soil exposed over 90 days to TiO2-NPs (1 and 500 mg kg(-1) dry soil). To assess their impact on soil function, we focused on the nitrogen cycle and measured nitrification and denitrification enzymatic activities and by quantifying specific representative genes (amoA for ammonia-oxidizers, nirK and nirS for denitrifiers). Additionally, diversity shifts were examined in bacteria, archaea, and the ammonia-oxidizing clades of each domain. With strong negative impacts on nitrification enzyme activities and the abundances of ammonia-oxidizing microorganism, TiO2-NPs triggered cascading negative effects on denitrification enzyme activity and a deep modification of the bacterial community structure after just 90 days of exposure to even the lowest, realistic concentration of NPs. These results appeal further research to assess how these emerging pollutants modify the soil health and broader ecosystem function.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group,CCSD,Nature Publishing Group UK
• Subject: 49/23 / 704/158/855 / 704/172/4081 / Agricultural ecosystems / Agricultural land / Ammonia / Community structure / Denitrification / Ecological function / Environmental stress / Enzymatic activity / Enzymes / Humanities and Social Sciences / Life Sciences / multidisciplinary / Nanoparticles / NirK protein / Nitrification / Nitrogen cycle / Pollutants / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Soils / Titanium / Titanium dioxide
• ISBN: 0003840418000