Fe2+ Alleviated the Toxicity of ZnO Nanoparticles to Pseudomonas tolaasii Y-11 by Changing Nanoparticles Behavior in Solution

Yuran Yang; Can Zhang; Kaili Li; Zhenlun Li

doi:10.3390/microorganisms9112189

Fe²⁺ Alleviated the Toxicity of ZnO Nanoparticles to Pseudomonas tolaasii Y-11 by Changing Nanoparticles Behavior in Solution

Microorganisms. 2021 Oct 20;9(11):2189. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9112189.

Authors

Yuran Yang¹, Can Zhang¹, Kaili Li², Zhenlun Li¹

Affiliations

¹ Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soil Multiscale Interfacial Process, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
² School of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.

Abstract

The negative effect of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) on the biological removal of nitrate (NO₃^-) has received extensive attention, but the underlying mechanism is controversial. Additionally, there is no research on Fe²⁺ used to alleviate the cytotoxicity of NPs. In this paper, the effects of different doses of ZnO-NPs on the growth and NO₃^- removal of Pseudomonas tolaasii Y-11 were studied with or without Fe²⁺. The results showed that ZnO-NPs had a dose-dependent inhibition on the growth and NO₃^- removal of Pseudomonas tolaasii Y-11 and achieved cytotoxic effects through both the NPs themselves and the released Zn²⁺. The addition of Fe²⁺ changed the behavior of ZnO-NPs in an aqueous solution (inhibiting the release of toxic Zn²⁺ and promoting the aggregation of ZnO-NPs), thereby alleviating the poisonous effect of ZnO-NPs on the growth and nitrogen removal of P. tolaasii Y-11. This study provides a theoretical method for exploring the mitigation of the acute toxicity of ZnO-NPs to denitrifying microorganisms.

Keywords: Ferrous iron; Pseudomonas tolaasii; ZnO-NPs; aerobic denitrification; detoxification; magnesium.

Grants and funding

42077217/the National Natural Science Fund of China