title: A fullerene colloidal suspension stimulates the growth and denitrification ability of wastewater treatment sludge-derived bacteria.
abstract: Fullerene (C60) is a nanoparticle that has been widely studied and applied in numerous commodities. However, there are concerns regarding its potential negative impact on the environment. A fullerene colloidal suspension (nC60) is known for its property of selectively inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. In this study, using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting technology, we found that fullerene altered the structure of a sludge-derived microbial community. Specifically, the bacteria from Bacillus, Acidovorax and Cloacibacterium genera were enriched in abundance when supplemented with nC60 at pH 6.5 under aerobic conditions. The effects of the fullerene colloidal suspension on a strain of Bacillus isolated from the same microbial community were evaluated to further characterize the growth-stimulating effect of nC60. The biomass of cultures of this strain incubated with nC60 concentrations ranging from 3 mg L(-1) to 7 mg L(-1) was approximately twice that of the control during the stationary phase. The fullerene also induced higher superoxide dismutase activity in Bacillus cereus. Furthermore, the nitrate removal rate of B. cereus increased to nearly 55% in the presence of 5 mg L(-1) nC60, compared to 35% for the control. Meanwhile, the cumulative loading amount of nitrite was reduced from 33 μg mL(-1) to 25 μg mL(-1) by the addition of 5 mg L(-1) nC60. Our results demonstrate that the fullerene colloidal suspension is conditionally capable of promoting the growth and denitrification metabolism of certain bacteria, such as B. cereus. Fullerene might have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on microorganisms in various environments.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China. Electronic address: zhangbo214@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Yiliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China. Electronic address: xjzhangsjtu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D003102:Colloids / Q000378:metabolism; D058440:Denitrification / Q000187:drug effects; D037741:Fullerenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000378:metabolism; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D037741:Fullerenes; D012722:Sewage
keywords: Active oxygen; Bacillus cereus; Community; Denitrification; Fullerene colloidal suspension (nC(60)); Stimulatory effect