Photodegradation of disposable polypropylene face masks: Physicochemical properties of debris and implications for the toxicity of mask-carried river biofilms.

COVID-19 outbreak led to a massive dissemination of protective polypropylene (PP) face masks in the environment, posing a new environmental risk amplified by mask photodegradation and fragmentation. Masks are made up of a several kilometres long-network of fibres with diameter from a few microns to around 20 µm. After photodegradation, these fibres disintegrate, producing water dispersible debris. Electrokinetics and particle stability observations support that photodegradation increases/decreases the charge/hydrophobicity of released colloidal fragments. This change in hydrophobicity is related to the production of UV-induced carbonyl and hydroxyl reactive groups detectable after a few days of exposure. Helical content, surface roughness and specific surface area of mask fibres are not significantly impacted by photodegradation. Fragmentation of fibres makes apparent, at the newly formed surfaces, otherwise-buried additives like TiO2 nanoparticles and various organic components. Mortality of gammarids is found to increase significantly over time when fed with 3 days-UV aged masks that carry biofilms grown in river, which is due to a decreased abundance of microphytes therein. In contrast, bacteria abundance and microbial community composition remain unchanged regardless of mask degradation. Overall, this work reports physicochemical properties of pristine and photodegraded masks, and ecosystemic functions and ecotoxicity of freshwater biofilms they can carry.

Pesticide sorption and mitigation efficiency of a detention pond in a Champagne vineyard catchment.

Detention ponds (DPs) are used to reduce the pesticide inputs from runoff to surface water. This study aimed to assess the role of the sorption process in the mitigation of a DP made up of four successive units and built at the outlet of a vineyard catchment in Champagne (France) to treat runoff waters. Sorption kinetics and isotherms were studied for four pesticides with contrasting properties, cyazofamid (CYA), fludioxonil (FLX), fluopicolide (FLP) and oryzalin (ORY), in the presence of copper in sediments and four emergent macrophyte roots and rhizomes sampled in the DP units 2 (photodegradation) and 3 (phytoremediation). The adsorption equilibrium time (from 24 to 96 h) was less than the hydraulic residence times in the two units (6 and 18 days on average) between November 2016 and November 2017. Sorption equilibrium could then be reached in situ in 85 % of cases. The K d coefficients of the four pesticides were overall greater in plant roots (14-6742 L kg-1) than in sediments (6-163 L kg-1) because of their affinity for organic matter and the molecular and porous structure of the plant matrices. Typha latifolia and Iris pseudacorus exhibited greater K d coefficients than Mentha aquatica and Phragmites australis, probably due to their greater specific surface area. The pesticide adsorption capacity in sediments and in T. latifolia and I. pseudacorus roots (ORY ≥ FLX > CYA > FLP) was linked to their K ow . The estimated total annual amounts of the four pesticides adsorbed in situ were determined to be 1236 mg for unit 2 and 1570 mg for unit 3. The four plants improved the removal efficiency of the unit 3 by 33%. Thus, the establishment of suitable and effective plants should be promoted to optimize sorption processes and DP efficiency in reducing water pollution.

Comparative Copper Resistance Strategies of Rhodonia placenta and Phanerochaete chrysosporium in a Copper/Azole-Treated Wood Microcosm.

Copper-based formulations of wood preservatives are widely used in industry to protect wood materials from degradation caused by fungi. Wood treated with preservatives generate toxic waste that currently cannot be properly recycled. Despite copper being very efficient as an antifungal agent against most fungi, some species are able to cope with these high metal concentrations. This is the case for the brown-rot fungus Rhodonia placenta and the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, which are able to grow efficiently in pine wood treated with Tanalith E3474. Here, we aimed to test the abilities of the two fungi to cope with copper in this toxic environment and to decontaminate Tanalith E-treated wood. A microcosm allowing the growth of the fungi on industrially treated pine wood was designed, and the distribution of copper between mycelium and wood was analysed within the embedded hyphae and wood particles using coupled X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The results demonstrate the copper biosorption capacities of P. chrysosporium and the production of copper-oxalate crystals by R. placenta. These data coupled to genomic analysis suggest the involvement of additional mechanisms for copper tolerance in these rot fungi that are likely related to copper transport (import, export, or vacuolar sequestration).

Response of Poplar and Associated Fungal Endophytic Communities to a PAH Contamination Gradient.

Microbial populations associated to poplar are well described in non-contaminated and metal-contaminated environments but more poorly in the context of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination. This study aimed to understand how a gradient of phenanthrene (PHE) contamination affects poplar growth and the fungal microbiome in both soil and plant endosphere (roots, stems and leaves). Plant growth and fitness parameters indicated that the growth of Populus canadensis was impaired when PHE concentration increased above 400 mg kg-1. Values of alpha-diversity indicators of fungal diversity and richness were not affected by the PHE gradient. The PHE contamination had a stronger impact on the fungal community composition in the soil and root compartments compared to that of the aboveground organs. Most of the indicator species whose relative abundance was correlated with PHE contamination decreased along the gradient indicating a toxic effect of PHE on these fungal OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units). However, the relative abundance of some OTUs such as Cadophora, Alternaria and Aspergillus, potentially linked to PHE degradation or being plant-beneficial taxa, increased along the gradient. Finally, this study allowed a deeper understanding of the dual response of plant and fungal communities in the case of a soil PAH contamination gradient leading to new perspectives on fungal assisted phytoremediation.

Is pesticide sorption by constructed wetland sediments governed by water level and water dynamics?

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are used to reduce the pesticide inputs from tile drainage or run-off to surface water. Their effectiveness appears variable and remains to be better characterized and understood. The aim of this study was to assess the influences of two hydraulic parameters (i.e., dynamics and water level) on the sorption process occurring in CWs. Then, two solid/liquid ratios were studied (1/1 and 1/5) to mimic the water level variation in the field, and two agitation speeds were used (none and gentle agitation) to simulate different water dynamics (stagnation and flow pass, respectively). Sorption kinetics and isotherms were obtained for four pesticides with contrasting properties. The pesticide adsorption coefficients were classified as follows: boscalid (BSC) > cyproconazole (CYP) > isoproturon (IPU) ∼ dimethachlor (DMT) at any ratio or agitation, in agreement with their water solubilities and K ow values. The effect of the solid/liquid ratio was evidenced for all conditions. Indeed, the adsorption equilibrium time was reached more quickly for the 1/1 ratio (24-72 h) than for the 1/5 ratio (96-120 h). In addition, the adsorption coefficients (K fads) were larger for the 1/1 ratio (1.8-11.2 L kg-1) than for the 1/5 ratio (1.0-5.9 L kg-1). The agitation effect was more evidenced for the 1/5 ratio and for the more hydrophobic molecules, such as BSC and CYP, for which adsorption equilibrium time was never reached with agitation (>120 h), while it was reached at 96 h without agitation. Moreover, the K fads values were larger with agitation than without agitation for BSC and CYP, whereas they were similar for the two agitations for IPU and DMT. Our results demonstrated that the hydrodynamic function of CWs could influence pesticide sorption with variable effects according to the molecular properties and consequently influence the mitigation effect of CWs throughout the year.

Influence of substrate water saturation on pesticide dissipation in constructed wetlands.

Constructed wetlands are an effective and practical option for removing pesticide pollution from runoff or subsurface drainage water. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiencies of a ditch with a bundle of straw placed in its centre and a vegetated pond installed in grass cover bands at downstream of a drained plot. The dissipation rates of three herbicides and three fungicides were monitored on four substrates commonly found in constructed wetlands (two soils, sediment and straw). The influence of water content was determined in a sequence of three steps (flooded-unsaturated-flooded) over 120 days. The pesticide dissipation rates observed during the 120 days of incubation ranged from 1.4 to 100%. Isoproturon and 2,4-MCPA (MCPA) showed the highest dissipation rates, which ranged from 61.0 to 100% of the applied quantities during the 120 days of incubation. In contrast, boscalid and tebuconazole showed the lowest dissipation rates, which ranged from 1.4 to 43.9% of the applied quantities during the 120 days of incubation. The estimated DT50 values ranged from 20.5 days to more than 1 year and were influenced by the substrate water content. The soil and straw substrates had the lowest DT50 values during the unsaturated conditions, whereas the sediments had the lowest DT50 values during the flooded conditions. These results could be explained by an adaptation of microbial communities to their environmental conditions. Thus, the most favourable conditions of dissipation for soils and straw are observable when the drainage ceases (spring and summer). However, favourable conditions occur all year for the sediments, except when the constructed wetlands are dry. The results suggest that the dissipation of pesticides in constructed wetlands contributes to the long-term effectiveness of these buffer zones for reducing water pollution.

Evolution of dissolved organic matter during abiotic oxidation of coal tar--comparison with contaminated soils under natural attenuation.

In former coal transformation plants (coking and gas ones), the major organic contamination of soils is coal tar, mainly composed of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Air oxidation of a fresh coal tar was chosen to simulate the abiotic natural attenuation impact on PAC-contaminated soils. Water-leaching experiments were subsequently performed on fresh and oxidized coal tars to study the influence of oxidation on dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality and quantity. The characterization of the DOM was performed using a combination of molecular and spectroscopic techniques (high-performance liquid chromatography-size-exclusion chromatography (HPLC-SEC), 3D fluorescence, and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS)) and compared with the DOM from contaminated soils sampled on the field exposed to natural attenuation for several decades. An increase in the oxygenated polycyclic aromatic compound concentrations was observed with abiotic oxidation both in the coal tar and the associated DOM. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in the leachates exceeded pure water solubility limits, suggesting that co-solvation with other soluble organic compounds occurred. Furthermore, emission excitation matrix analysis combined with synchronous fluorescence spectra interpretation and size-exclusion chromatography suggests that oxidation induced condensation reactions which were responsible for the formation of higher-molecular weight compounds and potentially mobilized by water. Thus, the current composition of the DOM in aged soils may at least partly result from (1) a depletion in lower-molecular weight compounds of the initial contamination stock and (2) an oxidative condensation leading to the formation of a higher-molecular weight fraction. Abiotic oxidation and water leaching may therefore be a significant combination contributing to the evolution of coal tar-contaminated soils under natural attenuation.

Effectiveness of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L. Nash) for phytoremediation of endosulfan in two cotton soils from Burkina Faso.

The influence of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) on the fate of endosulfan was studied using a vertisol and a lixisol soils from cotton-growing areas of Burkina Faso. Endosulfan adsorption isotherms were prepared for planted and unplanted soils. Pot experiments were then conducted for six months. For both soils, endosulfan adsorption was higher on planted soils (K(f) = 6.53-9.73 mg(l-n) L(n) kg(-1)) than on unplanted soils (6.27-7.24 mg(l-n) L(n) kg(-1)). In unplanted soils, vertisol adsorbed more endosulfan than lixisol. From the pot experiments, the estimated half-lives of endosulfan in unplanted soils (40.6 to 43.1 days) were higher than in planted soils (34.5 to 40.6 days) containing a greater number of endosulfan-degrading microorganisms. Six months after treatment, endosulfan was not detected in soils. The effectiveness of vetiver in promoting adsorption and the disappearance of endosulfan in both studied soils should be validated on the cotton plot scale in Burkina Faso.

Sorption of selected pesticides on soils, sediment and straw from a constructed agricultural drainage ditch or pond.

Buffer zones such as ponds and ditches are used to reduce field-scale losses of pesticides from subsurface drainage waters to surface waters. The objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of these buffer zones, in particular constructed wetlands, focusing specifically on sorption processes. We modelled the sorption processes of three herbicides [2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-MCPA), isoproturon and napropamide] and three fungicides (boscalid, prochloraz and tebuconazole) on four substrates (two soils, sediment and straw) commonly found in a pond and ditch in Lorraine (France). A wide range of Freundlich coefficient (K fads) values was obtained, from 0.74 to 442.63 mg(1 - n) L (n) kg(-1), and the corresponding K foc values ranged from 56 to 3,725 mg(1 - n) L (n) kg(-1). Based on potential retention, the substrates may be classified as straw >> sediments > soils. These results show the importance of organic carbon content and nature in the process of sorption. Similarly, the studied pesticides could be classified according to their adsorption capacity as follows: prochloraz >> tebuconazole-boscalid > napropamide >> MCPA-isoproturon. This classification is strongly influenced by the physico-chemical properties of pesticides, especially solubility and K oc. Straw exhibited the largest quantity of non-desorbable pesticide residues, from 12.1 to 224.2 mg/L for all pesticides. The presence of plants could increase soil-sediment sorption capacity. Thus, establishment and maintenance of plants and straw filters should be promoted to optimise sorption processes and the efficiency of ponds and ditches in reducing surface water pollution.

Human activities on the deep seafloor in the North East Atlantic: an assessment of spatial extent.

BACKGROUND: Environmental impacts of human activities on the deep seafloor are of increasing concern. While activities within waters shallower than 200 m have been the focus of previous assessments of anthropogenic impacts, no study has quantified the extent of individual activities or determined the relative severity of each type of impact in the deep sea. METHODOLOGY: The OSPAR maritime area of the North East Atlantic was chosen for the study because it is considered to be one of the most heavily impacted by human activities. In addition, it was assumed data would be accessible and comprehensive. Using the available data we map and estimate the spatial extent of five major human activities in the North East Atlantic that impact the deep seafloor: submarine communication cables, marine scientific research, oil and gas industry, bottom trawling and the historical dumping of radioactive waste, munitions and chemical weapons. It was not possible to map military activities. The extent of each activity has been quantified for a single year, 2005. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Human activities on the deep seafloor of the OSPAR area of the North Atlantic are significant but their footprints vary. Some activities have an immediate impact after which seafloor communities could re-establish, while others can continue to make an impact for many years and the impact could extend far beyond the physical disturbance. The spatial extent of waste disposal, telecommunication cables, the hydrocarbon industry and marine research activities is relatively small. The extent of bottom trawling is very significant and, even on the lowest possible estimates, is an order of magnitude greater than the total extent of all the other activities. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To meet future ecosystem-based management and governance objectives for the deep sea significant improvements are required in data collection and availability as well as a greater awareness of the relative impact of each human activity.