Carbon-defect-driven persulfate activation for highly efficient degradation of extracellular DNA contaminant: Radical oxidation and electron transfer pathways

Jiacan Xu; Yao Tong; Longfei Kang; Liangdi Jiang; Liqiu Zhang; Yan Dang; Yongze Liu; Ziwen Du

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130817

Carbon-defect-driven persulfate activation for highly efficient degradation of extracellular DNA contaminant: Radical oxidation and electron transfer pathways

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Apr 5:447:130817. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130817. Epub 2023 Jan 18.

Authors

Jiacan Xu¹, Yao Tong¹, Longfei Kang¹, Liangdi Jiang¹, Liqiu Zhang¹, Yan Dang¹, Yongze Liu¹, Ziwen Du²

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control and Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science & Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, 35 Tsinghua East Road, Beijing 100083, China.
² Beijing Key Laboratory for Source Control Technology of Water Pollution, Engineering Research Center for Water Pollution Source Control and Eco-remediation, College of Environmental Science & Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, 35 Tsinghua East Road, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: ziwendu@bjfu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36669411
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130817

Abstract

Extracellular DNA (eDNA), as a dynamic repository for antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), is a rising threat to public health. This work used a ball-milling method to enhance defect structures of activated carbon, and carbon defects exhibited an excellent capacity in persulfate (PS) activation for model eDNA and real ARGs degradation. The eDNA removal by defect-rich carbon with PS was 2.3-fold higher than that by unmilled activated carbon. The quenching experiment, electrochemical analysis and thermodynamic calculation showed that carbon defects could not only enhance the generation of SO₄^•- and ^•OH, but formed an electron transfer bridge between eDNA and PS, leading to the non-radical oxidation of eDNA. According to molecular calculations, the nitrogenous bases of DNA were the easiest sites to be oxidized by electron transfer pathway. This research offers a new way using defective carbon materials as PS activator for eDNA pollutants, and an insight into the non-radical mechanism of eDNA degradation.

Keywords: ARGs; Carbon defect; Electron transfer; Persulfate; eDNA.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Charcoal
DNA
Electrons
Oxidation-Reduction
Sulfates / chemistry
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / chemistry

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Charcoal
Sulfates
DNA